Details of Sio's surgery

Alekisio's surgery on friday was for a hydrocele. I didn't know how to explain it and was too anxious about the surgery to think straight so I will finally explain. I looked up an explanation so it here it is:

During normal development, the testicles descend down a tube from the abdomen into the scrotum. Hydroceles result when this tube fails to close. Fluid drains from the abdomen through the open tube. The fluid builds up in the scrotum, where it becomes trapped. This causes the scrotum to become swollen

Alekisio had what is called a communicating hydrocele which means the fluid was flowing back and forth. The doctor said they needed to fix it before the intestine pushed through to cause a hernia. Too late. He had a huge one but they didn't know that until they opened him up. He's fine now and you wouldn't know that he had surgery, he's jumping all over the place, and doesn't even need pain meds.

I was on the verge of tears all morning on friday. I dropped Isabelle off at a friend's house and off we went. Alekisio knew the doctor was going to fix him but he of course was oblivious to what was going to happen. We went in and they changed his clothes and checked to make sure he was healthy. He was jumping off of stools and trying to see the other patients being prepped so they let us go in the toy room while he watched a movie and waited for the doctor to come get us. He thought the pants were funny because they were tight on his butt and a little too short. I kept telling myself he'll be alright, he's had a blessing, we've prayed, but my stomach was still in knots.


The anesthesiologist came to get us and go over everything before they took him into surgery. I was really holding back tears now because I didn't want to scare Alekisio. Even though I wanted to just trust the doctors I couldn't completely, he's my baby. I just wanted to hold him in my lap before he went but he was too busy trying to blow up some rubber gloves he took from a box on the table. I made him sit in my lap and say a little prayer, which he informed me we already did, but I told him mommy needed it again. Then the anesthesiologists came and I walked with them down the hallway. Alekisio was skipping along until they told him, "OK say bye mommy." He stopped cold and looked at me very confused. I told him it was alright, go with the doctors, I'm waiting inside. The doctor picked him up in order to distract him, I snapped a picture,
then I turned around and wiped the tears that I couldn't hold back. I found the waiting room, Aisea showed up finally, I went to the cafeteria to get a sandwich and it was over. Waking up from the anesthesia was really hard on him. He was confused, crying, and couldn't even get the popsicle they gave him into his mouth. Aisea ended up holding him until he fell asleep again. After a ten minute catnap he woke up ready to get out of there. After we got home from getting Isabelle we all fell asleep. Alekisio slept for 4 1/2 hours and I slept for three. I don't usually nap, but nerves will do that I guess. Here is Alekisio waking up from surgery
The face he is making was how he looked for a good 15 minutes, even while we were giving him juice. He finally fell asleep on daddy.
That's us before the surgery. Alekisio likes to take pictures.

My stomach is in knots

We'll be leaving for Alekisio's surgery in about an hour. I'm terrified. However I don't want to scare Alekisio and Aisea is a baby when it comes to this kind of thing so I have to hold it in. Alekisio is congested so I'm not sure if it will happen. We'll see. Say a little prayer for us please.

Ho'olaule'a

Today we went to a Ho'olaule'a (hoe-o-lau-lay-a). It was for a traveling preschool they have here where you take your children and participate with them. Alot of families in our ward attend so we went. They had all sorts of crafts, food, toys, bounce houses, and horse rides for the kids. Alekisio was in heaven. He loves bouncing and was super excited about the horses. He's been asking to go riding for a long time. They had a tumble bus there which I thought he would love but he came right out of it. When I asked him why he didn't want to play he said he didn't want to go to school. I think he thought they were going to drive away while I was still outside watching. I honestly thought I was going to be miserable chasing him around while he was acting crazy since he's been acting up alot lately, but he was really good. The best part is I found out that the stables, which specialize in therapeutic riding are only $25 an hour. They teach the children how to groom the horses and everything. I think that's right up Sio's alley. Here are some pictures of his fun day.

in the bounce house

getting painted

showing off his snake and lion

his first horse ride

Baby food adventures!

Isabelle is reaping the benefits of our big kitchen. When Alekisio was a baby the kitchen in our apartment was small and falling apart so the baking and cooking I loved felt like a chore. Therefore he ate store bought baby food. Luckily when he was a baby the prices were still reasonable, and it was always on sale. I wanted to do everything organic for him but it was too expensive. Now we have a large kitchen that the kids can be in with me and I love it. So Isabelle is one lucky baby. When she really showed interest in food I went to buy some and realized prices were up by ALOT. So I bought some organic jars to hold me over and started looking into how to make her baby food myself. After all if Naomi can do it how hard can it be...I love you. So my new friend Jamie gave me her babyfood cookbook to look through and happened to find me a cheap blender and I was on my way. The cookbook gives ideas for combination food I wouldn't have thought of so it's a big help, thanks Jamie. Below is a picture of Isabelle's beets. Yep beets. That's the benefit of making the food yourself, you can introduce your baby to more foods than they carry in the grocery store. She loves them. That's her beet face above, there isn't food on her face, beets stain. Luckily it washes right off.
I also thought it would be a good way to get different veggies back in our diet. So I made us fried parsnips(below). They tasted like carrots. I know fried isn't the healthiest way to eat a veggie but I hadn't made or eaten them before so it was the easiest recipe I found. I liked them, however no one else did.

Making her food tastes very little time and is super cheap. It feels really good knowing I made the food myself.

Who are you?

I was curious about who was looking at my blog so I put that watch on the side. I know everyone who is looking, except two. I'm just wondering who lives in Lemoore California, I thought maybe it was my brother but he's in San Diego so it's not him. I think it's cool that someone I don't know(or maybe I do and don't know it) thinks my blog is interesting enough to come back to. Or maybe it's cause my kids are so darn cute. The other cool thing is that someone from Sydney was looking. Aisea's dad lives there so maybe you're family? I'm a curious kind of person so you can say hi if you want to. I'm actually dying to know who you are!!! Thanks

Are you watching swimming?

I was just wondering if anyone else is watching swimming. I need to know if I'm the only one who keeps thinking I'm seeing Bro. Hatch standing behind the swimmers when they show them getting ready. Do you see it too?

She's five months!

My baby is five months old! She has two teeth, gets all around the floor by rolling and scooting, and eats everything in sight. She watches everything and everyone. I love watching her discover new things and try and get them. She loves watching the slip cover on the couch blow with the wind, and whenever she gets close enough she attacks it. Today at church she was in the hall with Aisea and I was in the primary room. One of the sisters looked at me and asked if Isabelle was hungry, I didn't know why she would be asking but them I could hear her going AAAAAAAAA at the top of her lungs. She wasn't hungry though she just likes to grunt and make noises really loud. She has to see all the action all the time just like Alekisio and they both are really happy and laugh all the time, but their differences are already evident. She will actually play with a toy, whereas he just wanted to move around and get into things. Isabelle also loves to eat, she's not into peas, but what kid is? All the young men and young women love to take her during church, which of course I love because then I'm free to teach my class uninterrupted. Aisea loves it too because when she gets fussy there's always a girl there willing to take her. The onesie she's wearing is from my aunt. It's super cute, it says ipood.

My little comedian

The other night Aisea was in the kitchen with Alekisio eating applesauce. Aisea then got out some pudding we made earlier. They were talking and all of the sudden I heard Alekisio say in a normal calm voice, "Daddy you better feed me before I get mad." That's one of those moments you don't want to laugh so you have to hide the smile and tell them it's not ok to talk that way. At the same time it made me realize how much I tell him he better do something before I get mad.

While I'm thinking of it the other day he woke up from a really long nap and came out with no underwear on. I asked if he made shishi (japanese for pee, it's what they say here), I've never gotten mad at him for having an accident in the bed so I don't know why he said this but he said, "No it's wet from the water from swimming in the pool with Lucy." He swam with Lucy, his friend from church, on friday and this was now monday.

Oh and yesterday we ran through wendy's to get a frostee for being a good listener. Alekisio always tells me to open his window so he can say hi to the people. This time the person collecting the money was a teenager. Alekisio said hi and the guy laughed a little and said hi, then Alekisio said,"What's your name?" He asks everyone we see their name. The kid didn't answer for a second and kind of glanced at me so I looked at his nametag which said Beast. I kind of smirked while Alekisio asked again,"What's your name?" I told Alekisio, "His name tag says Beast." The guy and I giggled a little and I could tell he was a little embarrassed, then Alekisio starting laughing so hard going "Beast?" He kept saying it all the way home and we both laughed the whole time. He still keeps asking me what the guy's name was and laughing.

He also keeps getting stuck in the closets when he's hiding in there being naughty. It wouldn't be so bad except he can't get out to pee and does it on the floor. When I ask him what he's doing in there he tells me,"Nuffing, it's ok." When I look down however there's clean folded laundry on top of a puddle. I guess I can be thankful he's learning how to clean up after himself.

I've been really stressed and mean for the last month dealing with the realtor we just finished renting from. It has felt really good to have Sio around to make me laugh really hard for the past couple of days. He's the best medicine you can ask for.

First tooth!

I need to get this in writing or else I'll forget. Last week Isabelle cracked her first tooth! She's been fussy this week too because the one next to it is breaking through. She has also started eating food. She is getting pretty good at it. Last night she had some banana and for the first time she just sucked it right down instead of making faces for the first few bites. *Sigh* my babies growing up.

A mom's work is never done

I'm pooped. I started off the day feeding the kids and getting them ready. Alekisio left with daddy and I proceeded to clean the kitchen. I then organized the pantry, I like everything organized in lines with the labels out, and did a little rearranging in the hall and living room closets. After that Isabelle and I went to costco, I shopped, she napped, and when we got home daddy unloaded the car:). I then got to put away the groceries, and start making chicken soup, fried rice(I needed to use up the leftover rice), and brownies for my visiting teaching sisters. Then Isabelle got fussy for the next couple hours so hanging the laundry on the line was done to the sound of her crying, and then when it started raining without warning I took it back down to the same sound. I then delivered the brownies, fed her, bathed her, and finally got her to bed so I could plan my sharing time lesson, and my class lesson, luckily there are lots of good ideas on the internet and young kids are easy to please. I then bathed Sio, finished the soup, washed the dishes again, and realized the living room is a mess again. Sorry about the laundry list of what I did today, I know it's boring. The point is that I keep trying to get things accomplished and I just want to sit down at a reasonable hour to look around and SEE what I did. I mean wouldn't it be nice to clean the house and have it look that way when you wake up in the morning. I'm sure you all feel like that sometimes too, when I was single the house would stay clean. I have to say I wouldn't trade my family for a permanently clean house.....well.....no I wouldn't:) Now that I've got that out it's time to get some sleep. Good night.