Thanksgiving & Other Stuff

It has been a long two weeks since the last update!

We thought Ruby had kicked her pneumonia, but I ended up taking her back to the doctor -- she got a chest x-ray and a different antibiotic because her lungs still sounded terrible. Then, a week later she was back at the doctor again because of the same issue. Our pediatrician ended up sending us for blood work at the children's hospital and then to a pulmonologist. When we visited the pulmonologist, she got another chest x-ray which showed the pneumonia had cleared, but her oxygen level was pretty low (in the mid-80s). That doctor said she should probably be admitted to the hospital, but since it was Thanksgiving week he would try a breathing treatment first. That got her levels up to the low 90s. He said while the pneumonia was gone, she has asthma! He let us go home, but we have to go back on Tuesday for a follow up appointment.

But, we had a great Thanksgiving! I cooked up a storm and we had some friends and Grammy in town to eat it all. Ruby had a blast playing with her friend Anne, and James and Hallie thoroughly enjoyed their first Thanksgiving. Jason and I, however, failed to take any pictures of them eating that meal ... sorry!

We spent a couple of hours relaxing and then decided to venture out to Toys-R-Us for their 10 p.m. opening. We got there about 8:45 and were about number 400 in line. We did get the "ticket" for one of the kids' Christmas presents though and found a few more items while we were there. We got in the door at 10:30 and made it home about 1 a.m. It was a long day, but we had a lot of fun and it was definitely worth it.

Finally, I will post some pictures. We went to Portrait Innovations to have some Christmas pictures done and some pictures of the kids. Enjoy!

Back in Tennessee

The first weekend in November we took a trip to Arizona for my grandfather's 80th birthday celebration. Many of our friends thought we were crazy to take three kids on a plane, but it actually worked out really well and we are so happy that we made the trip! Ruby, James & Hallie got to meet a lot of family and I think everyone was very happy to see them. While we were there, we took a day to go to the Phoenix Zoo (which is amazing) and do breakfast with one of my friends from law school.

We made it back and promptly took Ruby to the doctor because she was sent home from school. I didn't think she was very sick -- I was thinking she was run down from a long weekend and couldn't get her ears to pop from the plane ride (In the waiting room, she told me that she "burped her ear" and it was all better). So, I was a little surprised when the doctor looked in her ear and found a "nasty infection" and then listened to her lungs and discovered she had pneumonia! She has been on antibiotics for about a week and seems much better.

Now we are preparing for Thanksgiving! Jason's mom and one of his co-worker's families will be joining us for dinner. So I am preparing a menu and hoping that it will all turn out well ...

Oh and we did a big Flickr update, so if you want to see all of our pictures from October, go to www.flickr.com/jasonhill1627 and click on the October 2010 set.

Here are some pictures from our Arizona trip:

Grandma and Grandpa with the babies.

James and Aunt Maggie.

Hallie and Aunt Tanja.

Having fun on the tree stump.

There's a squirrel monkey right behind us. This was a neat exhibit!

Ruby's first camel ride.

Ruby named the camel "Sally."

Standing like the flamingos.

Trying to be as tall as the giraffe.

James needed a nap.

Hallie getting her snooze on.

Eating a snow cone.

She loved checking out all of the cacti!

Ruby riding the carousel at the zoo.

My cousin, Elizabeth, seems like she'd do really well with twins ...