We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Dobbins grandparents, Grandpa and Grammie, this year. Grammie had made most of it before we got there late Wednesday night so getting everything together was easy on Thursday. Gigi (Julie's grandmother) came over Thursday at noon and stayed all day. We tried to coordinate dinner during naps so that we could talk and enjoy it:) but both the younger boys woke up. It turned out to be just fine.
On Friday morning, we decided to let the boys open up gifts from Grammie and Grandpa. We thought they might enjoy spreading out their gifts and they might better remember them. They still were a bit overwhelmed and, at one point, Joel threw a gift in frustration. He was promptly removed from "Christmas" until he got himself under control.:)
Jackson loves being at Grammie and Grandpa's because he has his own room there like his cousins do at his Nana and Pops' house. Jackson will settle in like he owns the place so we have to remind him we are guests and he needs to give up a turn with the TV so Grandpa can watch. It was pretty cold so the boys did get out and play on the trampoline some but we didn't go the park like we often do when we are there.
Friday evening Jonathan was playing with a marble. I saw him do it and realized I should get it from him. There is often a part of me, upon watching a scene unfold such as this, that thinks, "He won't do it this time" but that part of me is most often wrong. Jonathan proceeded to swallow it and hurried to be, indicating it was caught in his throat. I banged his back for it to go down. It did. Seeing as I am at a pro at this now, I didn't panic. I had him eat bread and drink clear fluids, both of which he got down just fine. Jamie was gone. When he returned, I told him what happened. I felt like the situation was in control until he reminded me that what Jono ingested was part of a magnetic set. I became very ticked off because I KNEW Jonathan had not swallowed a magnet but I could not prove it. I began slamming things around, called Poison Control, was given the news that we had to go to the ER, and acted like a baby. Once again, a holiday was interrupted because Jonathan just had to put something in his mouth.
My mom accompanied me to the ER. Swallowing a magnet is very dangerous because it can pinch your bowels, cause decreased blood flow, and end in death. So, he was sent to the top of the list. He got x-rayed, examined, and was let go. Only the marble made an appearance on the x-ray (as I KNEW it would be) and we were free to go.
That was enough excitement for one visit. We left on Saturday morning. One day we will be able to stay longer but right now we have to keep our out of town visits short to keep our sanity as well as help the people we visit keep theirs as well.:)
We got home and I started to work on Christmas cards and teacher gifts. I see these facebook posts and blogs about keeping perspective on Christmas. It is hard but, honestly, I really want to give and let people know how much we appreciate them. I enjoy writing our card but it takes me a while to crank it out. So, while the season can be hectic and chaotic, I have enjoyed drinking hot chocolate, eating cookies, and decorating our tree. I will get sleep later (when Joel begins to sleep past 5am) and shed the extra chub that I have accumulated after the new year. Being alert and trim is overrated anyway!
I did not get much sleep this week. Thursday, I was trying to get Joel down for a nap. He gets up at 5am and is beginning to resist his nap. I don't get it. However, I was trying to get him down for a nap and I fell asleep with him. I didn't get to my phone when it rang. I got up shortly thereafter and got a call from Jamie. He had Jonathan with him. The school had called my cell phone and home phone. I didn't answer so they called him. Jonathan seemed to have had an asthma attack and was in the back seat while Jamie drove, gasping for breath. I could hear him and I was terrified. I thought maybe he had swallowed something and it was obstructing his airway.
Jamie had started to take Jono to the boys' pediatrician's office but after seeing him go white as a sheet with his lips turning blue, Jamie decided to turn around and go to the ER. Our pediatrician's office had called ahead and, when Jamie ran in with Jono in his arms, the ER staff got Jono in a room right away. After examining him and then giving him a high-powered steroid unrelated to asthma, it was determined it was more like a sudden onset of croup. Because of his DS, Jonathan has low muscle tone. This applies to his muscles all over. The doctors think that Jonathan's trachea got floppy and just stopped working. That was the obstruction - his trachea just closed of its own accord. Nothing like this has ever happened (that we know of) so we will count it a blessing he survived and note if anything like that happens again, we will head straight to the ER.
This is a crazy life we lead. We go to doctors and hospitals so much that we are comfortable there and have a tradition of going to Krispy Kreme afterwards. I do think that Jamie and I both would say that because God has allowed us to have quite a few difficulties these last 14 years, we finally understand how to live out our faith instead of just adhere to rules. We are learning to call on Christ to fill in our gaps and voids, recognizing that we cannot live this life on our own. Thank goodness we are not alone!
Julie:)
thejuliewarren@gmail.com
Daddy is using the Boo Boo Bunny
and Jono is making certain he is okay.
Joel at his preschool Thanksgiving Feast.
Jono's class picture after their performance.
Notice Jono is the only one without his headdress on.:)
