Count 'em Candles

Tidal Pools at The Pacific Ocean

California Family Christmas

Just Can't Get Enough of the Hospital

Kirsten had the opportunity to be a patient in the emergency department (ED) twice this week. Over the course of four days, she was seen in the ED, then admitted to the hospital for heart trouble, then discharged, then back in the ED and admitted again for heart trouble. We're happy to have her home where she is resting. At least someone enjoyed the hospital visits -- Brooklyn.

Sweet Lights

Last Saturday night, we went to see the lights at Hershey Park and had a wonderful family outing. Can you identify three of the twelve days of Christmas?

A few hours after returning home, we had another adventure at the Hospital.

Growin' Up

Thanksgiving Root Canal

Kirsten had a root canal done on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. After a nice Thanksgiving meal at our friends' home and working all Thanksgiving night, Kirsten came home in the morning in much pain. She's since been spending her rare days off work on the couch resting with her daughter, and her new friends -- Vicodin and Advil. No Black Friday shopping or leftovers for her this year.

Ready for Winter

Swing-State Voters

In 2004 we voted in Ohio. This morning, in 2008, we voted in Pennsylvania. Our polling location was a mere 5 minute walk from our apartment, so we made it a family outing.

Visiting My New Cousin on Halloween

October by the Numbers

307 Hours Kirsten worked in the ICU
219 Our best cents/gallon purchase of gas
103 Degrees; Brooklyn’s highest temperature
30 Hours; The length of seven of Kirsten’s shifts
6 States our family visited (OH, PA, NJ, NY, MD, DE)
6 Evening law classes Kyle attended in South Jersey
4 New tires for our Camry (we’ve driven 15,000 miles in the last year)
4 Grandparents that Brooklyn snuggled with
2 Nights Kyle spent watching Brooklyn in the hospital

Brooklyn's Hospital Adventure

This week Brooklyn spent 2 nights in the hospital. After 4 days of fevers over 102 with no other symptoms besides extreme irritability and not acting like herself, I took Brooklyn to her pediatrician. After taking one look at Brooklyn lying on the exam table, the dr. said "she doesn't look too good. I don't like the story you're telling me and her purple hands and delayed capillary refill are a bit concerning." Long story short, she had a pretty hefty UTI/pyelo. So anyway, 3 sticks to get an IV, 2 shots of ceftriaxone after the IV went bad the last day, and 1 cath urine later we are all home and on the road to recovery. It was quite an adventure. Stay tuned for Brooklyn's next adventure - a trip to New York City to meet her newest cousin, Sadie Grace.