Appointment Updates x3

Camden had his 3 year old well check yesterday and Adalynn had her weight checked with our pediatrician, Dr. Baker. I also returned to the eye doctor this week, to check on the progress of my uveitis.

Camden is doing very well. He is still so much smaller than Broderick was at this age and weighs in at 32 lbs. He is 38 inches tall-both put him right around the 50th percentile. He was a little upset about getting a shot, but did well and didn't fight the nurse at all. He was more excited getting a bandage and a sucker and getting out of the doctor's office in order to go to a birthday party at Pump It Up (an inflatable party place). We made it to the party 1 1/2 hours late and he didn't get to jump very long, but he didn't mind at all. He is such as easy going little boy!

Adalynn is also gaining well. She gained 27 ounces in about 30 days, which is exactly what she should be doing. It puts her at 9 pounds 4 ounces. We can definitely tell she is getting bigger. She is beginning to get rolls on her thighs and her cheeks have filled out tremendously. She is such a good baby. No offense to Broderick and Camden, but she's definitely got them beat! She sleeps so well at night (only waking up once and then going right back to sleep). She also sleeps a lot later than the boys in the mornings (until 8:30/9:00). She rarely fusses and usually it is only because she is wet/dirty, cold/hot, hungry, or gassy.

My uveitis is still flaring up and I am still on the dilating drops and steroids. The dilating drops are miserable. I can't see squat and they give me headaches as my eyes are working hard to try to focus. I do have an appointment with my regular doctor next week. He is going to do some blood work. There is a possibility of having an underlying medical condition that is causing the uveitis. He wants me to start seeing an opthamologist instead of an optometrist, as well as have the blood work done. Uveitis itself is a pretty serious condition that can cause blindness and some of the other conditions (like Lupus-are a little frightening). I will keep you posted as to what happens next.

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Go, Diego, Go--Camden turns 3

Camden woke up this morning wanting to know if it was time for his party. He couldn't wait for the "families" to get here so he could have his cupcake party. Not a birthday party, but a cupcake party. We spent the morning decorating the Baby Jaguar and Diego cupcakes. They were a little time consuming, but turned out very nicely. Camden was so excited when the first guests arrived. Heather and Jesse came with Heather's dad and her sister. Her dad and sister were visiting from Indiana and celebrating Heather's birthday with her (which is today...HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER). Our friends, the Durkees, and the Taddas were also able to celebrate this special day with us.

After a hot dog dinner (Camden's request), we played "Put the Spot on Baby Jaguar", ate the adorable cupcakes, and opened presents. Camden loved all of his Diego presents and wanted to share them with the person who got them for him. He didn't quite understand that they were for him. Heather and Jesse are opening a savings account for him and will do the same for Broderick and Adalynn. This is one present that I am sure Camden will enjoy in 15 years when he goes to college.

All in all, it was a simple, but fun day. We can't believe that Camden is already 3 years old. Wow-time really flies!

Tubes, Extra Eyes, Teeth, Birthdays, Smiles, Milk Coming Out of Ears, and Peckers Wearing Underwear as Helmets

Yes, I know a very interesting title. Hopefully it got your attention though. Starting at the beginning....



TUBES/EXTRA EYES-Broderick successfully underwent surgery on Wednesday morning. He had tubes put in both ears for the second time (the first being when we was just over a year). We arrived at the hospital bright and early (6:15 a.m.). A huge thanks goes to Autumn for waking up super early to come and stay with Camden and Adalynn for us! They gave Broderick some medicine at about 6:45 to help relax him. Boy did it! He was hilarious. He was slurring his speech and smiling the entire time. He couldn't even sit up by himself or remember his sister's name. The nurse came to get him around 7:05 to take him back for his scheduled 7:15 surgery. 45 minutes later John and I were still sitting in the waiting room and getting very worried. They told us it would only take 15 minutes and he would be done. The nurse had come into the waiting room and gotten several other parents, but not us. Finally at 7:55, she came and got us. She said Broderick took FOREVER to wake up from the anesthia. When we went back to the recovery area he was still very out of it. He first wanted to know if it was time to get his tubes. We answered this question at least 3 times. He also was seeing double vision and told me that I needed to put away my extra eyes. He would lean forward and look at me and say "gone" -meaning the extra eyes, and then lean back and say "they're back, put them away". John and I laughed so hard! He finally began to be more with it and we were out of the hospital by 8:30. He was back to his normal self and he and Camden were rough-housing/playing before lunch time.






TEETH/BIRTHDAYS-Camden got to go to the dentist for the first time ever on Thursday. It was also his 3rd birthday! He was so excited about getting a new toothbrush at the dentist and talked about it all week. He loved getting his package in the mail from Mamaw and Papa and immediately put on his new monster truck shirt. We went out to dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse (his choice) on Thursday night and we will celebrate with a "Go, Diego, Go' party on Sunday with friends.

MILK COMING OUT OF EARS-Pumping is going very well and I am already developing quite a little freezer stash. We are beginning to wonder where to put it all. 400+ ounces is a lot and that is only in 5 weeks. Camden likes to help me and loves being read to while I pump. He will even ask "is it time yet?". Here is a picture of Camden helping me gather my pump parts. John asked him where the parts go and Camden responded with here-placing both horns onto his ears!

SMILES-This one is quite simple....Adalynn is smiling for real now-not just the sleepy baby smiles, but real ones. We love her "wide smile" as they call it in the cleft world. Did you know that 1 child in every 700 live births is cleft affected?

PECKERS WEARING UNDERWEAR AS HELMETS-The boys love their hockey sticks that daddy got them at a Thrasher's Game last year. They often play hockey in the kitchen with a stuffed puck. Last night they were playing hockey against each other. Camden had the bright idea to wear his underwear as a hockey helmet. Broderick quickly followed suit. Both boys then went upstairs and returned with socks on their feet (to help them skate) and on their hands (as gloves). Broderick then announced that Camden's team was the "Peckerliers" and his team was the "Peckers". They were too cute.

On a side note, my uveitis has flared up again. I am on a steriod eye drop as well as a dilating drop to help with the pain. I have a follow-up appointment next week to see if the drops are working. I will probably call my regular doctor and check with him about getting some bloodwork done to see if there are any underlying causes for the uveitis.

We apologize to anyone who read this post looking for something other than what was written. Plain and simple life at the Frye house, nothing more, nothing less!!!

In My Daughter's Eyes

In my daughter's eyes,

I am a hero.

I am strong and wise,

And I know no fear.

But the truth is plain to see:

She was sent to rescue me,

I see who I wanna be,

in my daughter's eyes.

In my daughter's eyes,

everyone is equal,

Darkness turns to light,

And the world is at peace.

This miracle God gave to me,

Gives me strength when I am weak.

I find reason to believe,

in my daughter's eyes.

And when she wraps her hand around my finger,

Oh, it puts a smile in my heart.

Everything becomes a little clearer.

I realize what life is all about.

It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough;

It's givin' more when you feel like givin' up.

I've seen the light:

it's in my daughter's eyes.

In my daughter's eyes,

I can see the future.

A reflection of who I am,

And what will be.

And though she'll grow

and, some day, leave:

Maybe raise a family,

When I'm gone,

I hope you'll see,

How happy she made me,

For I'll be there, in my daughter's eyes.

song by Martina McBride

Getting Bigger Each Day

Adalynn is growing up sooo fast! I remember how anxious I was for Broderick to grow up. I wanted him to get bigger and do more each day. Now, with Adalynn I can't believe how fast it is flying and how I want her to stay little. She is a very strong little lady and has been holding her head up on her own for weeks. On Sunday evening, she decided that one easy way to get out of tummy time is to just get off of your tummy. SHE ROLLED OVER!!! John and I couldn't believe it. She did it again on Monday evening--so it is real and not just a fluke.

She also seems to have gained a lot of weight. Her newborn clothes are barely fitting and her 0-3 months are finally fitting great. We haven't even attempted anything bigger than that, but hopefully she will be there soon. She has way too many adorable summer dresses in the larger sizes. Her weight will be checked next week with her regular pediatrician-a suggestion from the cleft team at Scottish Rite. Her regular 2 month check-up is mid-August. She will get her first set of shots then.

Attempting to Go...and Failing

Well, we attempted our first major outing that required us to be somewhere by a certain time(besides doctor's appointments and such) and we failed. Allison, a friend, got married on Saturday just outside of Rome, GA-a 2+ hour drive. We were doing really good, we all got up early (8ish) on Saturday morning, I cut all 3 of the boys hair, ironed all of the clothes, John went to the office, and then grabbed lunch at McDonalds. We planned on leaving around 12:30 (the wedding was at 3).

Well, we walked/ran out of the house at 12:55. We remembered everything major...kids, changes of clothes, diaper bag, breastpump, bottles, etc. We did realize before we got to the end of our road that we forgot the camera, but we knew we were running too late to turn back. We get onto GA 316 and then I realize that I am not certain that I turned my straightening iron off. I finally (after debating it for several minutes) said something to John about it. He immediately did a u-turn and headed back home.

He ran back inside and checked-of course, it was unplugged! This gave him time to grab the camera and semi-clean up the mess the dog made (in the 10 minutes we were gone, he had gotten onto the kitchen table and knocked off the drinks leftover from lunch). Well, finally at 1:04 we were on the road for the second time.

The boys quickly fell asleep and the rest of the ride was uneventful (besides sitting in traffic through Atlanta too many times to count). We made it to the church-late but we made it!

We decided to head on in and attempt to sneak in. Yes, I know sneak into an already in progress wedding with 3 kids, impossible, but we were going to do it. Well, Camden had to go the bathroom and luckily there was one right when we walked into the church. I went ahead and took him in and John, Broderick and Adalynn waited in the foyer. Just as Camden and I are walking out of the bathroom, they are applauding and opening the sanctuary doors. Allison and Michael were married and we missed the whole thing. We were priveleged to be the first ones to greet them as husband and wife since we were waiting in the foyer as they came out.

We said congratulations and then headed to the reception. It was probably for the best anyways, kids can be kids at a reception and noise isn't an issue. We ate, celebrated with Allison and Michael, and then headed back to Athens.

Camden and Broderick split a frozen Coke on the way home and Camden had to go the bathroom 4 times, but finally, we made it. The boys were exhausted, as were John and I, and we all crashed. Adalynn, of course, did fantastic and looked beautiful in her white dress. John and I decided that we would let her break the "fashion don't" and wear white to someone else's wedding.

Perfect Beauty

PERFECT BEAUTY

by Joanne Green

The Great Sphynx of Egypt has, over the years, Lost her nose.

Venus de Milo has no arms,

And the Liberty Bell sports a great, wide crack.

And yet each of these is considered to be a thing of beauty,

A standard of perfection.

And so it must be that we do not, as one might imagine,

Look to perfection in order to see beauty,

But rather, we look to beauty,

And thereby see perfection.

Life at home...getting back to normal

We have been enjoying life at home. Broderick and Camden are adjusting to having a baby sister. They do great throughout the day, but by dinner time, I think they are a little...well a lot stir crazy. It has been so hot here, that we usually don't go outside until after dinner. There is only so much you can do inside, and between feeding and changing Addie and pumping breast milk for her my time is limited.

Camden does enjoy helping out with her anyway that he can. He loves to help feed her. I even walked in on him attempting to pick her up while she was laying on the floor. AACCKKK!!!! He has enjoyed pretending with a Cabbage Patch Kid that we purchased for Broderick when Camden was coming along. He puts "his baby" in the bouncy seat and swing, changes "his baby's" diaper, puts "his baby's" clothes on-and off, and carries "his baby" around by the belly button.

We enjoyed spending the Fourth of July with the Tadda family. The kids loved going to Bishop Park to watch the fire works. Broderick and Camden had a blast with the Poppers and Sparklers-THANKS MISTY!!! Adalynn looked adorable in her red, white and blue dress and slept through the entire fireworks display. The only bad part of the night, besides Camden spilling orange drink on the chair and the blanket, was sitting in the parking lot for an hour waiting to get out. Yuck! That meant we didn't get home until around 11:00, much too late for the boys to be up with such a big day the next day.

On the 5th, we had to wake up bright and early for Adalynn's follow-up appointment with the Cranio-facial team at Scottish Rite. Traffic wasn't too bad, but we still made it right on time. Broderick and Camden enjoyed playing in the very kid friendly waiting area. The occupational therapist was very happy with Adalynn's performance using the Haberman bottle-a bottle designed for cleft-affected babies, and the dietitian was happy with Adalynn's weight gain. She now weighs 8 lbs. and 2 oz. She has gained over a pound in 2 weeks-that is over an ounce a day!! We don't have to go back to the clinic for awhile, unless problems arise before her surgery-we pray that they don't.

After Adalynn's appointment, we were able to go the 4th floor of the office that Adalynn's appointment was at to the AFLAC Cancer Center to see Ryan, a student that was in my class. He is undergoing chemotherapy. Please be sure to visit his blog superryan.blogspot.com. The boys, Broderick, Camden, Ryan and another student in my class, Matt, enjoyed playing the Play Station, while John and I were able to visit with Ryan's parents, Missy and Les. Missy loved seeing Adalynn and you would have thought that she was the proud momma the way she enjoyed showing her off to all the nurses and doctors. The Morgan family is amazing and has been so supportive during my whole pregnancy-please be sure to keep them in your prayers and pray for a cure for this type of cancer to come in the near future.

After such a busy morning, we ended the day by visiting the world's largest aquarium-The Georgia Aquarium-in Atlanta. The boys had a blast and loved seeing all of the fish and other water animals. Of course, the highlights of the visit were seeing Dory and Nemo, as well and the largest fish-the Whale Shark. The aquarium actually has 4 of them. We also had a chance to visit the "touch pool" areas and touch sting rays, sharks, horse shoe crabs, see anemones, shrimp, and star fish! It was a busy day.

We will continue to keep you updated. Thanks for all of the supportive comments on the posts and messages on the daily chat. We can't believe our little girl will be 1 month next week and our littlest boy is turning 3 a week after that. Time is flying and boy are we having fun!

Surgeries Are Scheduled

I woke up to the phone ringing bright and early this morning. Figuring it was someone selling something, I almost didn't answer. I did and boy am I glad. It was the plastic surgeon's office calling to schedule Adalynn's surgeries. Wow! I can't believe it is really happening.

This brings a lot of mixed emotions. We are excited about the repair, but sad about loosing her "first" beautiful face-the face we have fallen so in love with.

Her lip is being repaired first and will take place September 17. Her palate (the roof of her mouth) will follow, and is scheduled for December 10.

Toofless

Well, the week Adalynn was born, our oldest baby lost his first baby tooth. Broderick has officially become a "big kid". It was a very emotional week for all. Yesterday, tooth number 2 came out. You can tell by the expression on Broderick's face (in the photo) that he is not so certain about his newfound "tooflessness". He was excited though about the $5 that the Tooth Fairly left the first time and even wondered if she would leave $10 this time. Much to his surprise, she left 4 quarters-he was still pretty ecstatic. His wallet is beginning to fill up and it is already burning a hole in his pocket.

Bringing everyone up to speed

Adalynn Paige arrived just about 3 weeks ago and life will never be the same. The boys are so in love, as are we. But to bring everyone up to speed, we have decided to start our first ever blog. Not only to let you know about what is going on in our lives, but also to keep you updated about Adalynn's surgeries, doctor's appointments, and progress.

Well, we've been married for almost 11 years and 3 kids and 1 dog later things are very busy to say the least.

John is well into his Ph.D. program at the University of Georgia. He is working hard on research for his dissertation and should be completing everything in the next year or so. This means another move in the near future to wherever he happens to get a job.

Shannon is enjoying spending time at home this summer with Broderick, Camden, and Adalynn while John is working in the office. She will return to teaching 3rd grade in late fall at Bethlehem Elementary about 10-12 weeks after the school year starts.

Broderick is getting bigger everyday. It is hard to believe, but he will be starting kindergarten in the fall and will be turning 6 in October. He will be going to kindergarten at his mommy's school and according to him the best part of kindergarten will be going to her room everyday after school.

Camden is growing-slowly, but growing nonetheless. At almost 3 years old he barely weighs what Broderick weighed at 12 months. He loves to be busy and is a VERY active little boy. Most people already notice how agile and athletic he is. He will be starting preschool this fall instead of going to the babysitter's house. Our church, Mars Hill Baptist Church, is opening a preschool and Camden will be going 5 days a week for 4 hours. He is very excited about his new school, but is a little confused about why he can't go to Mommy and Bubby's school.

Adalynn Paige started stirring up trouble long before she arrived. We found out at a 20 week routine ultrasound that she was going to born with a cleft lip and possibly palate. We did all of our research and we were more than ready for her to arrive. She made her debut 3 weeks ago and has been doing great. Her lip and palate were both affected, but will be repaired in the next few months. She has already met with her "Team" at Scottish Rite part of Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta and her prognosis looks good. It appears as though the cleft is an isolated incident and not related to any other syndrome. The geneticist doesn't think further genetic testing is needed unless we decide to have more children-which doesn't look likely. We meet again on July 5 with the Occupational Therapist and Dietitian just to make sure she is gaining okay.

Let us know that you were here by leaving comments for us or signing the guestbook. We want to keep everyone as updated as we can and this is a lot easier to edit and add to than a website. Please check back often-we hope to post an update at least once a week.