Sweet Taleah

Meet Taleah.  She is 2 1/2 years old.  She is one cute little girl.  I have not had the chance to meet her yet, but she seems full of life and as you can tell she knows how to dance.  Taleah and her family live just five minutes from my house so you can imagine how many phone calls, texts, facebook messages, etc. we have gotten to let us know about this sweet little family that is in need of your prayers.  The reason we were contacted by all our friends and neighbors is because Taleah was diagnosed with A.L.L..  The same thing that Chase has.  When I heard the news my heart sank.  Knowing exactly what words they were hearing from all the strangers at PCMC that would soon become their good friends.  It brought back so many memories.  Everyone reacts differently in a crisis situation so I can not say that I know EXACTLY how they are feeling, but I can tell you that I have the biggest pit in my stomach and my heart is so heavy.  I can not get them out of my mind.  With every experience we have we can look back on it and see how much we have grown.  There is no way for me to show this sweet family how much they will grow in the next year.  There is no way to show them how much sadness, but at the same time how much happiness they are going to experience.  It is with anything else in live they are going to have to live it themselves.  I wish they didn't have to.  I wish with all my heart that NO ONE had to have this learning and growing experience of having a child with cancer.  But the faith and strength I have gained in this process I never want to give up.  I wish there was a way to gain such a strong faith in Christ and his compassion for these little ones without having them suffer, but there isn't.  I know that our Heavenly Father has not left little Taleah's side.  He will carry her through this as he has with Chase.  She will feel more comfort that she has EVER felt.  I know that Heavenly Father is well aware of what Taleah is going through, but PRAY and PRAY again for her.  We have made it as far as we have because of all the prayers that have been said in our behalf.  Taleah is hoping to come home Wednesday or Thursday.  She needs her house to be a safe place.  We will be going over to get it as clean as possible Tues morning.  If you have nothing to do, are not sick or have been sick, and can leave all your children behind we would love any help.  Just leave me your contact info and I can email you details.  If you would like to read about Taleah her link to her blog is on my right side bar.

First Day of School

This year was big for our family in more ways than one.

First, Abby was a big girl and would be going to first grade.  She was so excited to have her own desk, and to stay all day and eat lunch.  She came home and told me that she got THREE yes THREE recesses.  She was so excited to ride the bus (something I didn't let her do last year because I was trying to by pass as many germs as possible).  She loves walking to the bus with all the neighbor kids and it seems that they all make "playing" plans while on the bus ride home.  She always comes home and tells me all the people she needs to go play with.

Second, Chase is going to his very first day of school EVER!  I had anxiety when Abby went to her first day of preschool.  Even though Chase is my second it was not any easier.  All for different reasons though.  I knew he would be fine.  He loves playing with friends and is so good with other people.  But the germs, and the toys, and just plain not having him in my sight scared the crap out of me.  I have to let him live his life or he will become anti social, but it is so hard.  I wish they had a spray that I could just spray him with that was like his own little bubble.  No germs could get through it and no other kids could touch him.  When one of them coughs or sneezes all the germs would bounce right off.  I feel really good about where I am taking him though.  They have been so good to accommodate Chase.  They sent a letter home telling parents to teach their kids handwashing and stuff.  I also love that about five feet from the front door of the preschool you can smell cleaner and bleach.  It just smells clean instead of like the church nursery.  Oh, and that was also a first for Chase.  We have taken him to sacrament and also to nursery once back on mothers day but that is it.  So while his counts are up we decided to take him, but we skipped out on the nursery thing to by pass the dirty toys and snacks.  I took him into sunbeams instead.  The normal teacher was out of town so it was a little crazy, but hopefully next week it will be back on track.  I think he had fun, but I just can't bring myself to take him to nursery.  Oh, and a funny story since school has started 2 weeks ago and I am just posting this.  Chase goes to school with his little friend Kelsey.  Kelsey told her mom a story on the way home from school the other day.  This just proves to me how much different it is going to be having a boy in school compared to my angel little girl.  Kelsey has the cutest little accent in her voice and she said to her mom, "mom, it's duh funniest fing eber.  He (meaning chase) sticks his bum out and toots and we laugh, but don't worry, he leaves his shorts on when he toots!"
Really?  Is this what my life has come to?  I don't know how to handle this.  I can do girls.  They don't fart.  But is this normal?  I really hope so.  I know he likes when people laugh at him, but never has he done this at home.  Maybe because I wouldn't laugh. He knows all his little friends at school do.  And this was on the third day of school.  What are his teachers thinking of him now???

And for Mason, he has many firsts every day.  He is trying his hardest to walk.  He is so close that I bet he takes his first steps very soon.  He has teeth coming in EVERYWHERE.  Poor kid has swollen gums with a little white dot in at least four places and maybe even more.  He has enjoyed having Chase all to himself when Abby is at school.  He follows Chase around and wants to play whatever Chase is playing.  They are like little twins just have a small size difference.  He just started saying Uh Ooo yesterday.  It is so cute because it comes out like more of an Uh Mmmm but with the same voice tone as Uh Oooo.  I am really enjoying having a few hours to get things done when Chase and Abby are both at school and Mason is napping.  The time flies by though.  I just get my projects started and Chase walks in the door ready for lunch. 

Back to School Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's

When Grandma Prince decides to do something she goes all out.  Bob told me when we first got to their house that he was laying in bed last night when Diane piped right up and said, "oh, I need to go back to Walmart.  I will be right back!"  She has dreams of what she will do and immediately runs to the store :)  So when we got to their  house we were told we could not go downstairs until we heard the school bells.  Once we heard the bells we headed down.  I want to introduce you to our hard working cafeteria workers.  They put their heart and souls into their job.  Can't you just see it in their faces???  Ok, maybe not so much on Grandpa's face.  I think he may wear the hair net to work he liked it so much.

They served us up some yummy school lunch (dinner).  They had the menu posted....

Then we were served on a kiddie plate for the preschoolers, a tray for the school age, and the lucky alumni got to eat on a paper plate.  

The only thing that didn't quite fit in, was the cute table.  I am sure I don't remember the cafeteria tables looking so cute when I went to school.

After dinner cafeteria worker/Principal Prince and cafeteria worker/Mrs. Prince talked to the kids at Princeton school.  They went over how we are respectful, choose good friends, be examples, and work hard to learn all we can.  It was great for the older kids, but I have a feeling that Chase and Cam might have some learning to do in Preschool.  Everyone say a little prayer for their teachers......

Then came the part that made me grateful I am an in law and there is no evidence of my childhood at the Prince household.  They pulled out Kristin, Ashton, and Ben's elementary school pictures.  They were great and the kids got a kick out of it.  We did find out that Jake is his mom without the big bangs!  They they gave all the kids a small little lunch box filled with their favorite candy bar and some other school goodies.  It was a very fun night.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for all you do for us and for our kids!!!

Abby's BirthWEEK

I can't believe my little girl is six years old.  Time goes by way too fast.  I keep telling her not to grow and for some reason she doesn't listen to me.  Abby is a six years old going on 20.  This last year she has really grown up fast.  Not only because she went to school but I have depended on her for a lot of help and she never failed me.  She is always there to help me with the boys and to clean up.  Pretty much anything I ask her she is a good helper.  (don't get me wrong she is like any other kid and has her days but most of the time she is pretty good.)  She is such an awesome big sister and we love her so much.  Mason thinks she is the coolest person ever.  He loves to play with her.  If she is back in her room and he figures it out that she is back there you can bet he will be in her room faster than I even notice he is gone.  And Chase loves his big sister.  Anything she does he has to do.  This gets a little weird when he starts playing with girl toys, but I don't get too worried because he is all boy.  I love Abby and can not imagine life without her.  She is my little buddy and the older she gets the more I find myself wanting her to come to town with me shopping instead of going by myself.  We have mommy daughter outings all the time.  She is my best friend and I hope that it can always stay that way.  
Abby really did celebrate her birthday all week.  On Wednesday the 10th, her real birthday, Grandma and Grandpa Prince came over for dinner and cake and ice cream.   That morning I took her to Harmons to pick out her very own cake (although Kristin said she would make her one on Sunday and I  knew it would blow Harmon's cake out of the water but she needed one on her birthday).  She was so excited to open her presents. So after dinner we did that first.  Chase was an excellent helper unwrapping, and Mason loved all the packaging and ribbons.  She got so many fun things....Apples to Apples (which we immediately played), a United States Puzzle (she has been playing a game called stack the states on my phone and loving it), some Junnie B. Jones books  (she has already finished reading all three of them), Barbie's little sister stacie and a Barbie tent, some new shoes for school, and a watch (which is awesome!  The hour hand is pink as are the numbers, and the minute hand is blue and so are the minute numbers.  I was amazed how much she like her new watch.  She has worn it every day since and is actually getting very good at telling time.  She gets up in the morning and when she looks at her watch she knows how much time she has until she has to leave for the bus.  Grandma and Grandpa brought her some fun things too.  She got an American Girl Card Making kit.  I think she made 10 cards the next day and took them to the mail.  She also got a fun bulletin board for her room that she can decorate and then hang pictures an things on it.  She keeps asking me to help her make it and I am a bad mom because I keep putting it off.  Earlier that day dad came to pick her up and take her to lunch.  So she got to pick where they went and they had a little daddy daughter date.  I think she felt pretty special.  
We had cake and ice cream and Mason was loving it.  He got a little practice for his one year birthday smashing the cake.  When he got done eating and it was all over him he started flipping his hands everywhere in excitement.  There was frosting all over the floor and on the walls.  The kid loves cake!  

If you look close you can see he is doing the excited shake because there are so many ribbons to pick from!

 Then later that week on Saturday she had a party with some her friends.  I felt bad because there were so many she wanted to invite, but we had a swim party and I only felt comfortable having so many there to be watched by me.  I made a few families stay just so I had more adult eyes watching.  It ended up being a lot of fun not only for Abby but for us because our friends were there too.  They had little beach party favors that I didn't get close up pictures of but they were a mini beach bucket and shovel and rake.  Then I filled the bucket with some beach monkey playing cards, bubbles, and a beach ball.  They turned out pretty cute and I got all the stuff from oriental trading so it was pretty cheap.  I got the cute hanging lanterns from there also.  We just had pizza and the kids had punch with cute little drink umbrellas in them.  And instead of cake we had cookies and cream cupcakes with an oreo baked right in the bottom.  The kids really like that part.  We played a game with some cute little rubber duckies I found at the party store.  I thought they would float and most of them did, but when they got filled with water they would sink so it made the game more interesting because the older kids had to dive for them.  Her party was fun and I can sum up the presents in about one word....BARBIE!  Other than a couple presents most her stuff was barbies.  I think her friends know her pretty well.  Any time she has a friend come over they usually end up playing barbies.  Because of this Chase thinks they are pretty cool too.  He like her mermaid barbie the best and not only carries it around but like to sleep with it.  He asked me today if he could take it to show and tell.  I thought maybe in a few weeks, but let's not get made fun of on the second week of school.  So I easily talked him into taking his cars which is his other favorite toy.  Abby and her friends had a good time.  It was a fun low key with very little planning party, but with a fun turn out.

Don't you just love the present swarm?  On Abby's first friends birthday party I tried to tame the mass and failed.  Since then I realized it is just going to happen and I just have to leave it alone!

Look really close....Yep, that is Abby and Ty in the back with their arms around each other.  Do we see a wedding in our future???  I would be okay with that.  We love Shelly and Justin and would be happy to call the Traveller's family!

 Next event was at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Sunday.  We had an Awesome back to school party which I will do a separate post for, but at the end we had birthday cake that Kristin made.  I always wonder how she will out do herself and she always does.  I am impressed every birthday!!!  The cake itself was soooo cute.  

BUT WAIT FOR IT.......


WAIT.....


A LITTLE LONGER....


Yes, the inside was RAINBOW!!!  Abby LOVED it!

She got to open some more presents from K, B, and the boys.  And they fit right in with the rest of her clan of barbies at home.  But she got to add another Ken to the collection.  He was getting a little out numbered with all the Barbies coming home.  
Thanks to everyone for such a fun birthday for Abby.  And thanks to Abby for being such an Awesome daughter and friend.  I love you to pieces Ab :)

Back to School Lake Trip

Grandpa called and said let's go to the lake.  I was pumped because we haven't had any lake trips this summer with the boat.  Chase hasn't had the highest of counts and it still makes me nervous to let him get in the lake water.  Especially at Sand Hollow because they have swimmer's itch.  So we didn't let him get in the water at all.  He rode in the boat and on the tube (which is huge so you don't really get wet and swimmer's itch is supposed to be only on the beach areas).  Brian came and brought all his boys.  Cam and Chase were so cute watching the big boys try to kill themselves on the tube.  Ashton is still complaining about his rib that Brian crushed (that was at least three weeks ago too).  I want to feel bad for him, but you should see them on this tube.  They are only asking for major injuries.  I am surprised that we got out of there with only minor ones.  Mason did really well considering that it was nap time and he ALWAYS sleeps in a bed or pack n play.  He fell asleep in my arms with an oreo still in his hand.  We had a blast.   Thanks Grandpa for taking us all to the lake!!!

Chase's Cancer Summer

I don't know that you can call it summer fun but Chase has had many of these kind of visits throughout the summer......

And we have had our monthly IV chemo visits.  Some here and some at PCMC.

Again we have to find spider man every time we go to PCMC

This was during our fever trip to Dixie.  The good thing was it was late enough that he slept through the whole visit.  We had been at PCMC at 7:30am getting chemo, drove home 5 hours, had dinner, painted his finger nails (long story), got a fever, back to hospital, checked by doc, labs, cultures, check counts, IV antibiotics, and home to our beds around midnight.  It was a long day that started and ended with the hospital.  In fact, Chase said to me as we pulled up to the hospital here in St. George, "mom I already been to da hospidal today!"

So this was Chase's second fever here at DRMC, but our experience was much better than our first.  And since our first experience I have found out through talking with different nurses that are over the one that took care of us (or didn't) the first time that they have been told we just walked in off the street and didn't call first to say we were coming.  This makes me so frustrated because now everyone thinks that Chase's family are the ones that like to "just show up!"  And we did happen to call her twice, and our Dr. called also to say we were coming and she in a round about way told him we couldn't.  WHAT?  Who says you can't come to the hospital.  So it was sad to hear him the next time he called her and we were in the room with him at his office.  He kinda had to "ask" if we could come over and get IV antibiotics and draw labs and cultures.  She said yes this time.  YES on the the THIRD or FORTH phone call.  So as you can see there was not one phone call but multiple.  And because she was trying to cover her butt because she didn't have a clue what to do with my son the blame got placed back on me.  I was willing to forget the whole experience and just move on and know that next time I will ask before I go to the hospital if there is a nurse there that knows what they are doing.  But instead it keeps getting brought back up because I have nurses calling me asking to double check that we did call before we went.  And again I say yes three or four times.  I guess it is my word against theirs but if they want a little back up I am sure my doctor would be more than willing to put in his two cents of being told by the nurse that Chase couldn't come.  SAD!!!  I was upset for a few days and got over it till I heard that she was telling everyone it was our fault and that we walked in off the street without calling.  And even if we did, she should still know what she is doing and not have to ask mom what size a needle he needs, and do I take this little plastic thinggie off the end of the needle.  Are you kidding me???  Do you think you can poke him with the plastic on?  Oh, and yes sweetie you should fill the line with saline before you access him because if not he is going to have a whole lot of air bubbles in his heart!!!  These are things that aren't even cancer specific.  These are no brainers for a nurse.  But because we didn't call ahead then she forgot all of her training.  I feel so bad about saying mean things about her and I wasn't even going to post about it.  But the frustration I felt when I found out she was putting the blame on me was more than I could handle.  I was also upset because we have been told OVER and OVER again by the oncologist that it is vital to get IV antibiotics in his system within two hours.  Well, it this particular case it was closer to five hours.  I was in a panic!!!  I will say that the last time we went a few weeks ago for a fever when I called ahead I specifically asked if there was a nurse there that could take care of Chase like he needed or if we should just go to the the ER and take our chances with the germs.  Thanks to an AWESOME nurse Kelly I can now say positive things about having a fever and going to the peds floor at DIXIE.  He was right on top of it and changed my opinion of the care we are going to get when we go there.  So let's keep praying for no more fevers, but at least now I know that someone knows what they are doing.

Lagoon

So after going to Disney World nothing is going to compare, but my kids still had a blast.  We were given a "Give Kids the World" pass when we left Florida.  It has amusement parks from around the US that we can get in free for a year.  Lagoon is on the list so we thought we would go while we were just hanging out with Grandma.  They have gotten a lot of new rides since I was there last (many years ago).  The trees have also grown because when I was there I remember it being so hot and all just black asphalt.  It was nice to have shade.  The other thing I found was that it didn't seem as big as when I was young.  It used to take forever to walk from one end to the other.  Not so much this time!   Abby's favorite ride was the tidal wave.  This is so ironic because when I was young I was scared of it.  I would still ride it, but I was scared the whole time.  I remember having a bad dream that a little girl fell off the ride and was squished between the boat and the huge tire that makes the boat rock.  So I of coarse didn't tell Abby that story and she loved it.  Her other favorite was the Wild Mouse.  Chase loved the new "blue" roller coaster.  Bombora is what it was called.  He wanted to go on it over and over.  It was cute because I told him to put his hand in the air.  So I looked over at him and he had his hands up but with his elbows still attached to his sides so his hands were about at his shoulders.  He was screaming, but in a timid little scream.  He was trying to be brave, but you could tell he still had a little fear in his eyes.  But like I said the second he got off he wanted to go again.  Mason did amazing.  He just sat in his stroller and watched all that was going on.  He rode puff the magic dragon like a champ and a few other kiddie rides.  He thought the sky ride was pretty cool and even took a small nap in his stroller which he never does.  There were points where I wanted to push the kids back in line for the bumper cars.  They were all crowed around Chase because he was the first in line by the gate so of coarse they all wanted to be up there, but with germ crazy mom around I was all sorts of pushy.  I told them to back up just a little and they looked at me like I was dumb.  It was then that I realized there was no english in their language so I just pushed instead.  I would have pushed a little harder had I known what I found out the next day at clinic.  His ANC was only 600.  That is not super low, but not in my comfort level for Lagoon and pushy little kids that can't understand me.  He ended up with his second fever that next night after having his chemo and LP, but that is exactly when he had it last time so I am thinking that he might be a little feverish every time he gets his chemo and LP, because the cultures came back negative.  Guess there will be times that his ANC is low and I don't know it and life goes on.  We lived as hermits for almost a year and we are ready to live a little more normal.  I am not going to throw him in a room full of sick people, we will still take precautions, but what is life if you don't live a little right???  We made it through Lagoon with a low ANC and we had a blast doing it.

When riding this ride he said to the little girl in front of him, "you better watch out cuz I am going to get you."  Too bad he went around that circle many times and somehow he was never able to get her :)