Colin's Vocabulary List at 18 Months

At Colin's 18 month check-up, the doctor asked me about how many words Colin can say. He said that 8-10 for a boy is normal, and the question caught me off guard, so I said probably around 8-10...but I got to thinking about it, and his vocabulary is quite extensive for his age. Here is his vocabulary list:
1. mommy
2. papi
3. nanny
4. titi (aunt in spanish)
5. bee
6. teeth
7. no
8. hi
9. hello
10. baby
11. food
12. doggy
13. dali (our dog's name)
14. oliver (my mom's dog's name)
15. ball
16. book
17. yeah
18. more
19. uh-oh

He doesn't get out all of the syllables in all of the words, but he sure tries!
If I can think of any more, I'll add them.

Colin's Thoughts About Being a Big Brother

Colin just woke up, and as I was changing his diaper:

Kristen: Colin, you are going to be a big brother soon!
Colin: Yeah
Kristen: Are you going to be a good big brother?
Colin: Yeah
Kristen: Do you want a sister or a brother?
Colin: No!
Kristen: What do you mean no? You are going to have one or the other...we aren't having a monkey for a child!
Colin: No!
Kristen: Do you want a sister?
Colin: Nooooooooooooooo!
Kristen: Do you want a brother?
Colin: Nooooooooooooooo!
Kristen: But, you're going to be a good big brother?
Colin: Yeah
Kristen: So, you don't want a brother or sister?
Colin: No, no, no, no (shaking his pointer finger at me)

That's what my precious 18 month old thinks about having a sibling. Hopefully he'll change his mind soon enough!

First Week Coming to a Close

So, as the first week of us knowing that we are pregnant is coming to a close, I am thinking back to a few weeks ago...when I was so tired and just slept all day...I couldn't drag myself out of bed, and I just wondered to myself "what is wrong with me?" Well, now we know!

I've experienced a little more tiredness, but I would much rather have that than morning sickness (which, knock on wood, I haven't had any of yet), and I'm super thirsty! Peeing more frequently, though not like the "normal" pregnant person. I have a pretty well trained bladder, being a nurse and all. And, what I thought was "pre-menstrual bloating", is actually my little pouch forming. I think it's going to peek out a little quicker than with Colin.

So far so good! No complaints. My first appointment is March 14, and we will have our "official" due date then, though we think it's between October 26-28.

Colin's 18 Month Check-Up

Colin had his 18 month check-up today. He's doing great! Growing fast, big and strong! He weighs 26 lbs. 7 oz. (50-75%), and is 32.8 inches long (75%). The doctor thinks that he's going to be around 5 ft. 10 inches, but we'll have a better guesstimate when he turns 2.

The doctor was very happy that Colin finally started walking. That means that we don't have to start ECI. Yay! He also noted that Colin is "very social". He says that's a good thing!

We are glad that he's a healthy boy, and growing strong! his next appointment is at 2 years.

Place Your Bets...

I've set up a Baby Pool guessing game! Place your guess!

A New Journey

Miguel, Colin and I recently found out that we'll be going on a journey together, and in anticipation of it, I decided to get directions for it on Google Maps. I found the directions to be pretty interesting, and so I'm posting them here for you to see as well. What do you think? :)

Not So Little Anymore!

Well, besides the fact that my baby is going to be 18 months (*tear, tear*) next week, we converted his crib into a toddler bed. We've been meaning to do it for a while now, but just haven't found the time until this past weekend. Colin slept in it for the first time last night, and he did great. We knew he would!

Also, Colin finally started walking yesterday...for real walking. He did it all day at my mom's house and when Miguel and I went to pick him up, he refused to walk. Today he didn't want to walk until this afternoon. Then, he just picked himself up and walked all over the house this evening!

What a big boy he is! Miguel and I are so proud of him!

Hail

I was awakened at 6:40 in the morning by the loudest sound Ive ever heard. I thought that my windows were going to break. The hail lasted about 8 minutes. 2 hours later, I decided to take a couple pictures of the hail balls...look how big they were...after having 2 hours to melt!

Colin at the Park`

I took Colin to the park today! It was sooo beautiful outside...a bit windy, but the temperature was great. Colin posed for a few pictures for me. The rest can be found on my smugmug!

I Hate Ebay!

I found a really cute outfit for Colin and I was the high bidder all day long. I was watching the auction as it was ending...and it got down to 8 seconds...and someone outbid me. I hate Ebay!

How Sweet...

The Kolb's attended a playdate at our house yesterday, and Madison was in such a loving mood! She went over to Colin and hugged him.

When Casey and I "awww-ed", Colin got excited and decided to hug her back:

Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen?

Miguel and the Broken Arm...

Imagine having a really hard, long, physically draining day at work. You are tired and so ready to go home and just rest your feet from the long 12 hours you just spent on them with out a potty break, and barely a lunch break.

Your evening is looking good...your mom is at your house, and she even made dinner for the family! Wow! You get home to your loving husband who, also, just got home from a long day at work.

You walk in the house and smell yummy meat sauce. You can't wait to eat dinner...and pee!

Your son is in a really good mood, your husband is home, your mother is over visiting...with dinner...the evening couldn't get any better...that's absolutely correct...but it can get worse...and it does!

You don't even have your shoes off yet when your husband decides to play the "Let's run from mommy and have her catch us game." You are tired, but you go ahead anyway...they start running (son in father's arms), and you start to chase them. Your husband looks back to see how close you are, and in that split second your dog runs under his feet, gets him tangled and you see (in slow motion, of course) your husband falling to the floor while holding your son.

Son doesn't cry until he realizes that mommy's face dropped 10 feet. You pick him up to make sure that he's ok...and, thank God, he's fine. A bit shaken, but fine.

Your husband, on the other hand, is still laying on the floor. He's holding his arm, saying that he can't move it. You go into nurse mode...check to see if there is a deformity...nope, that's good. Next you check his pulses in that arm...good pulses...that's great. You do start to see some swelling around the elbow area. You tell husband that we need to splint the arm, and you go find something to splint it with (cardboard and a few ace wraps). Husband doesn't want you to touch it b/c it hurts so bad,and you realize at that point that you definitely need to make a visit to the doctor.

You go to an urgent care facility...where there are a bunch of people waiting. Before checking in you ask the receptionist "If his arm is broken will you guys splint it or will you send us to an ER?" She calls back to the nurse who gives us a run around answer. It was an easy question...you either splint or you don't. Well, since they couldn't give a a straight answer, you decide that you guys had better not waste time sitting there...that it would probably be quicker of you just waited in an ER.

You call your job to tell them that you were coming...but they were jammed packed, so you decided not to go there either. Off to Centennial you go (which is actually a really nice hospital). You walk into the ER lobby...and there isn't anyone there! Yay! You are so excited!

You see the triage nurse, who takes you guys back to a room right away. About 5 minutes later you see the nurse. 2 minutes after that the doctor comes in, and 5 minutes after that the X-ray tech shows up! Now that is quick service! Maybe 15 minutes later the doctor comes back to tell you that your husbands elbow (radial head) is broken. 10 minutes later the tech comes in to splint the arm and then the nurse comes back to discharge you.

You finally get home again to find your son asleep...so you only got to see him for about 45 minutes that day, your mother asleep on your couch...who you are so thankful for b/c she watched your son ALL day long, and your husband who is in incredible pain...but acting loopy b/c of the pain meds that the nurse gave him.

You had a crappy day at work, and then a crappy evening at home...but, you love your husband, son, mother & life...so you wouldn't change a thing.

That was my day on Tuesday!

2 More Teeth, and All Better!

Well, I just wanted to say that Colin is doing much this week than last. His fever finally broke on Tuesday evening. Since then, he's been back to his old self!

I noticed today that he is cutting 2 more teeth on the bottom making his count: 12 total (6 top, 6 bottom). they aren't all the way in, but they have cut a bit.

Update on Colin

Colin wasn't feeling well. As soon as we got home yesterday afternoon I put him down for a nap, and 4 hours later, he wasn't awake. I went in to wake him up, and he was burning up. Temp. was 103.6. I gave him tylenol.

We put him to bed at 8, but re-checked his temp. right before and it was 102.9. Great, fever is going down. I just didn't have a good feeling and decided to wake him up at 10 to check again, and it had spiked to 104.8! Scary...even for me being an ER nurse. I gave him some motrin and called the pedi after hours nurse. She had us give him a sponge bath and re-check in an hour. Temp was still 103.9 after all of that. The nurse told us to go to Acute Kids in Frisco.

We got there at 11:30, and they close at 12:00...so they were only able to run a flu screen and a rapid strep. Both were negative. It's not an ear infection either. The doctor there wanted to take blood and urine but it was too close to close to closing time, so they referred us to the ER.

Next stop...Presby Plano. We never saw a doctor, just a PA. He said he didn't feel it was necessary to draw blood or urine. So all they did for us was give more tylenol...which I could have done from home, and a chest x-ray that was negative. His fever spike again to 103.9 while we were there, but they decided to send us home saying it's a virus. I've never seen a virus cause a fever that high...but I'm just a lowly nurse.

We got home at 4:00, put poor Colin to bed with a 103.7 temp. and woke up at 7:00 to check again...

this time it was 105.1 and I started freaking out! I called the after hours nurse again who wasn't much help. Finally after more motrin, we have his temp. sitting at a comfortable 102.9.

We saw the pedi. this morning and he concluded that Colin has a high fever virus. Says he'll probably have the fever for another day or so, but if he starts showing other symptoms or seizing...he needs to be seen right away. Way to make me feel ok. He did another flu screen, which was negative and drew blood to check his count. That all came back fine.

He is acting a little more like himself today, but still not eating or drinking his normal amount.

Please keep poor Colin in your thoughts today. I hate seeing him like this. Obviously I called into work...I just couldn't leave him like that.

Fever

So, is fever going around or what?

Colin woke up today with a low grade fever. He wasn't acting right all day, and took a 4 hour afternoon nap! When I woke him up a little while ago, he had a 103.6 fever! No N/V/D as of yet.

I hope that he feels better soon. I have to work tomorrow, and I hate being away when he's not feeling well.

Colin Walking?

Has the time arrived? Will Colin actually walk?

On Saturday Colin took about 12 steps all by himself. He stopped midway through, looked around and started walking again. It came out of the blue! Miguel and I were amazed! Colin did that like 4 times through out the day, but not since.

We are going to continue to work on walking, but we think it will be very soon!

Sammy

I just wanted to update that Sammy's dad did pass away last Monday. Thanks for all your prayers, I know they are helping Sammy and his family through this.

Cousin Patty

My cousin Patty flew in from NY to visit us for a few days. Her flight was delayed due to snow in NY, which made her trip a day shorter, but we still had a great time while she was here!

We did lots of shopping! We also took her to eat at a bunch of places that NY doesn't have.

Patty and I have a great relationship. We don't get to see each other very much. We don't even talk on the phone or over the internet very much due to our busy schedules, but whenever we do see or talk to each other, it's like we pick up right where we left off. She is an amazing person, and I love her dearly!

Sad & Happy

My favorite cousin Patty was supposed to be here right now visiting us from NY. they had a snow storm blow through and her flight for this morning got canceled. I'm happy b/c the weather cleared up, and they booked her a flight for tonight. She'll be arriving in about 1 1/2 hours! Yay! I'm so excited!

Prayers for Sammy & His Family

I just found out today that Sammy's (my step-dad) father is in the hospital dying. He took him to the ER yesterday b/c he was having stomach pains. Sammy got a call early this morning...the nurse said that the whole family should come right away b/c it didn't look good. When Sammy got to the hospital, his father had been put on a ventilator. His liver was bleeding, and there wasn't anything that they could do about it.

They are planning on taking him off of the ventilator tomorrow...they are just waiting for some family to fly in before they do so. I've never really seen Sammy cry before, but when I talked to him today he was pretty hysterical. It made me cry. I hate to see him like this.

Hi dad is going to die when the vent is turned off. I ask that you keep Sammy in your prayers during this tough time. I know God will see him through.