Oh July

Our July went fast. It was mostly all fun and games :o)

We went to a natural curiosity museum a couple times with my side

Ayden could have seriously spent all day on this zip line

this girl loves water!!!

During the summer we do "Tacos Wedn., go swimming". Jared has to work late most Tues., that's why we changed it. Anyway~ here's them having fun.

July is Jared's birthday month!!! He never wants to celebrate big like I do... so we do a cake with some friends and family and call it good.

Breeann ended up getting a new IV!! So... if you've been following us, you know May and June were kind of rough. Well, that first week of July she started going downhill again. We did more blood work and it showed her line was dirty... AGAIN! So, after much talking and praying...we decided that the line needed to go. It was about 16 months old anyway... which is great for Bree!!

She's been doing so much better since we got that new line in her. She's my happy girl again. Her oral eating has really taken off overall too. She's not chewing her food, so we got to watch that and we're working with feeding therapy. So hopefully it comes quick for her.

We went to Texas for a week and spent some time with Jared's side. It was so incredibly amazing!! My kids had a blast playing with cousins... as you can see in this pic

And I loved just being there with my sisters-in-law and just having fun! To be honest, I didn't want to come back at all. I was sad when we had to go. But that's life.

These next couple are of my kids being crazy silly

As much as they drive me nuts... I sure do love those two babies of mine.

That about sums up our July!!! Hope you all had a great month as well. Love to all

better late than never

So, I'm just now getting to around posting about July. It has been a crazy few weeks and I'll explain why in this post... hopefully :P

Jared's parents came and spent a few days with us. This kids LOVED having Papa and Grandma here.

 A lot of time just being silly

Jared and I got a date night to the rodeo. BEST. DATE. EVER! I love going and sweet Jared makes it a point to make sure we go every year. We're thinking next year, Ayden maybe ready to go.

 Played a lot at parks

 We went to Pleasant Grove "Strawberry Days" carnival... we meet up with Ayden's bio. mom there. Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of the two of them.

 Father's Day!!! I'm not good with words, unfortunately, but Jared's such an amazing, sweet, fun, caring dad. I'm hoping he had a great day. The kids each picked a present from them and we got one from the dogs. I got Jared shirt, Ayden got Jared water guns, Bree got Jared swim shorts, and the dogs got him pants.

 Breeann's "Payne Day"!!! It was fun, but kind of low key due to getting discharged from the hospital that day (more on that later). We just did pizza, snow cones, and a couple presents with my sisters and nephews.

 We spent a lot of fun times with my two sisters and nephews. I just thought this picture was funny... the two using the other as a couch

 Silly times

So here's where I explain the last ... couple months really. So since beginning of May, Bree has not been herself. Just acting like she doesn't feel well all the time, high output (diarrhea, leaking from the feeding tube, throw up), and constant low grade fevers. She was admitted May 18 for a line infection. There we found out one of her vein access sites... to use for her IV sites... has reopened!!! Best news we have received in a long time. We felt like we could breath easier. Definitely miracle and tender mercy. On June 22, Bree got admitted with yet another line infection. So before we left, we talked them into doing a intestinal scan. Results showed her intestines have dilated again. Her being dilated means her intestines can't move as well and she can't absorb her formula/food as well either. Hence the high output we were seeing... or at least part of it. At this point, we switched her to a feeding up (boo for wearing a backpack again) and her dr. told us he didn't know what us to really do for her and requested we go back to Nebraska. So we are currently working on getting back out there for another transplant evaluation. It is possible they can do another STEP procedure but we're uncertain and won't know until we get her evaluated out there. We'll keep everyone posted. We're getting into July now, BUT might as well finish the story right? On July 7 (yay for staying out on Jared's birthday and 4th of July) Bree was admitted with another line infection. At this point we decided her IV was probably colonized with bacteria (meaning they just made themselves at home there) and made the difficult decision of removing the IV (which was like 16 months old) and getting her a new one. She went through both procedures great. We were particular about the surgeon we used, and the amazing, talented man who did Bree's original resection (removal of the intestines), placed her feeding tube, etc... He was the primary dr. for our angel for the first 4 months of her life. Anyway~ he put his great skill to use and yeah... Today, Breeann is doing great! She's acting like she feels better, she's tolerating feeds and even asking to eat!, and hasn't really had any low grade fevers even. She's use to the backpack again and is our happy, sassy, sweet Bree. 

So that sums us up. If anyone has any further questions, i didn't explain things good, etc... please, please, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're an open book and hope our story can help others. Hope this finds everyone doing fabulous!!! Love to all.

Good ol' May

Our May went by way too fast. Mainly good stuff!! Like playing in water.

 Ayden got to meet his new bio. cousin!

 Our city's fire department put on a pancake breakfast... brought in a helicopter and everything! it was a lot of fun.

Our ward had their fathers and sons camp out. jared and ayden both had a blast! apparently ayden mainly played with sticks.

 A fun visit with Mama Alyssa!!!

 Ayden's preschool had a graduation party we went to. He did great!!!

 Played at the park

 Went to my cousin's mission homecoming. I think this pic. captures their personality perfectly

 Learning how to drive

 Bree had a hospital inpatient stay (more on that in a min.), Ayden had a blast with my friend while I brought Bree home

 The day Bree got to come home

 This next pic., i have to tell the story! Bree went inpatient because she got a line infection. She ended up growing two different bacteria. SO! The drs. were worried we'd have to talk pulling the line, it had been a while since we looked at what her sites looked like for a new IV anyway, so we did a ultra sound

The ultra sound showed that her whole right side is completely opened!!! This is such a blessing! We thought we were down to the one site her IV is in right now!! It gives us that much more time to get her off her fluids!

We went out to dinner with both awesome bio moms!!!

 Pic of me opening my mother's days gift. jared spoiled me for sure! biscuits and gravy, awesome presents, and mostly took care of the kids on his own the whole day. it was nice.

 My mom came and played for a day or so.

 Ayden got sick for a day or so. This one never gets sick!

So that sums up our May. It was a good month, just went by too fast. Hope you all had a great month too!

Las Vegas trip

The kids and I had the chance to go to Las Vegas and spend sometime with my side. Almost all my siblings were there with their families. It was a crazy, but fun time! Unfortunately Jared couldn't come, because of work, but we still had fun without him. The kids did so much better traveling then I thought they would too. They did really well. I was extremely grateful for that.

We played lots with cousins

 I just had to add this one because I think it's hilarious. My sis took it during dinner our first night there.

 The kids loved aunt angie's ferret's.

 My other sister did bree's hair really cute a few times.

 We celebrated my mom's birthday. It was an early celebration, but a fun one at that! This is Ayden's first time playing "Don't Eat Pete" a game my family really likes! He totally devoured the m&m's once he realized he wasn't suppose to eat anymore lol total ayden move

 We did an easter egg hunt

We stuck in a girls time, pedicure and lunch too!

We absolutely had a blast!!!

Ayden's "Payne Day"

You may, or maybe not, remember that on the anniversary of the kid's adoption finalization, we like to celebrate "Payne Day" ... just a little celebration to honor them and when they legally joined our family. Ayden's "Payne Day" is April 16. Hard to believe that 3 years ago that little boy was just joining our family. Here's a video (Ayden Payne Day video) of Ayden's special day, courtesy of Jared's cousin.

This year we introduced Ayden to Chuck-E-Cheese. He LOVED it. I'm only going to post a few pics and one video, but it was definitely a hit of a celebration.

It was a great family time. And the pizza was better then Jared and I remembered it being! LOL

What to say about these last 3 years of being Ayden's legal mom. He has made me laugh so incredibly hard ... and yet made my want to go insane! Ayden is such a sweet, tender hearted boy. He loves people, especially his family. To see the joy he has when he notices I'm playing the piano in primary, or when he sees Bree after her few day hospital stay is so priceless. I love it! He has taught me so much about really trying to be in tuned to people's emotional needs. With his ADHD and SPD, a lot of times he cannot use words to tell us what he needs or wants. Best way to describe it is he looses all control of his body and emotions... so I have learned to really be in tune for his happiness, and mine. Ayden is so incredibly smart (I think) and inquisitive. I just love my little man and the never ending excitement he brings into our family!

WE LOVE YOU, AYDEN JOHN!!!!! So grateful you're a part of our eternal family!!!

April, where did you go?!?

April was a crazy busy/fun/blah month for us! lol I'm actually going to be doing a couple other, more specific post... Just FYI. This one I'll have as our general update.

Jared's company's product going public! Which means he can now talk a bit more about what he does at work all day! lol Not that I understand anyway, but it's awesome! They pretty much had a party week and celebrated. Jared's still busy as ever there and loving it. He's such a good day and the kids just LOVE when he comes home or when it's weekend. We saw Jared's mom, sister, and her family too!!!

My month was pretty typical... taking care of/snuggling kids, housework, etc. The kids and I went to Las Vegas Easter weekend (separate post coming). It was so fun spending time with my side. Only downfall was Jared wasn't there. We did a couple play dates with a dear friend of mine, which I LOVED and very much needed! Thanks again Emily! Oh and I did go on a field trip with Ayden's school. We picked up trash at a local park. The kids did surprisingly really well with it. I was impressed.

Oh, my Ayden. He actually has been my trial lately. A few days after we got back from Las Vegas, we totally took him out of diapers. He had been waking up dry (nap and bedtime) so we figured he didn't need them anymore. Ever since then he just has been majorly hard to take care of. I'm thinking the change got to him... even though it wasn't like a major change (such as moving) and so he's not sleeping as well. He is doing better now, but we're still working on his behaviors. He is learning and developing like crazy! It's actually been fun to watch him become even more of a little boy. And let me tell you, he's ALL boy. Rocks, sticks, water, robots, etc... He loves it. We celebrated his 3rd "Payne Day" but that'll get it's own separate post as well. He's not really doing well in the gymnastics, but we're going to start trying a parent participation one. I think the class he was in doesn't have enough structure for him but the actual sport will be good. And I think that's about it for this handsome dude!

On to the princess! She's had a weird month too, to be honest. Let's start with mile stones! She's now in a twin bed! And she's doing really well. Fallen once and that's it. She's very good about staying in it when she's hooked up to her IV too. I've been happy about that. She also got her ears pierced! Jared wanted to wait until she asked, and truly knew what she was asking for. After months of saying she wanted earrings like mommy has earrings... He decided she knew. She did pretty well with the actual piercing, she's done well with not messing with them, letting us clean them... She's getting to be a little girl. Some ways, so hard to believe but so ... relieving, to be honest. No one ever thought she'd get there. Anyway~ those are her real noticeable mile stones. Medically is where it's been blah. She's down to 11 hours on her IV!! Which is great!!! She's about 28 pounds now. We're able to push a total of about 32 oz or so of formula a day. Where her month's been rocky is... she's been throwing up at least twice a day for about 2 weeks now. We started her on a medication that helps the motility of her intestines yesterday... I can already see the difference!! She only actually threw up only once today (few nausea spells, but she held it in like a champ!). She also had a few bloody poops (which is why it took us so long to figure out the motility med issue)! They ran test and kept her for observation for 24 hours, but decided she was okay to come home. I talked to her regular dr... He scoped her to see if he could find a source of the bleeding. He didn't find a source, but he did see inflammation at the top of her intestines that he thinks is from her stomach acidity. He's going to put her on another antacid and see if that helps. So we'll see what the month of May holds for our little miss Bree. Overall though, she really is doing amazingly well.

That about sums up our April! How you all had a happy easter and a great month too!! Love to all.