Vintonville

Kidney stones are for the birds.

So we’re going to bed last night and MC feels a little crampy. Not unusual- I’ve been around long enough to know the ladies feel that way from time to time. However, half an hour later, she was hyperventilating (and subsequently passing out) and writhing in agony. Obviously at this point we knew it was one of two things- Appendicitis or Kidney stone. Either way, T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

So we packed up and rushed to the ER at 1:30 am while Emily Peterson (i.e.- at this point I think her name literally translates to “selflessness exemplified”) came over and watched Joshua. As we got into the ER, there were a couple girls in front of us at registration who had apparently been in an accident earlier in the evening. “I’ve kinda got a headache, a sore neck…” Being selfish (this is more important!) and frustrated at not being able to actually do anything to ease Mari-Catherine’s obvious suffering has me at a boiling point so I’m ready to blow as these “insignificant” injuries take their time in registering and MC falls to the floor, again, hyperventilating. At this point the nurse wakes from her indifferent stupor and quickly radios back to the ER, whereupon a nurse rushes out with a wheelchair and takes MC in for treatment.

I eventually got back there and, as it turns out: Kidney stone. A big one. They dope MC up with some pretty potent stuff and are eventually able to manage the pain. However, they aren’t confident they can keep it abated if she chooses to go home. So 6 hours and an IV full of pain relief later MC is transferred to the hospital, where a urologist informs us her kidney is swollen and, due to the size and pain, should consider a surgery where the stone is basically lasered. We opt for it, MC goes in and comes out having found the tube from the bladder to kidney was all twisted up as well. See, when MC gets sick… she does it right.

(Hugs before surgery and being carted off.)

So right now I’m sitting in the hospital room as MC sleeps under the warm and cozy blanket of pain killers and anti-nausea medicine…

They’ll probably end up releasing her tonight, but we have a few hours to go until they prove she can keep food down. Ah, Kidneys. The medical joys just keep coming.

Pretty soon, IHC will just start putting our visits on a tab.

The weather has been oh so nice in the 60’s lately..ahh perfect.  Since we got Willem some “outdoor” shoes, he has decided that he has got to go outside anychance he can (yes he’s a Vinton).  The front door must remain locked at all times..now not only to keep intruders out, but to keep a smart little, door openin, rascal in.  He will sit at the door and cry now cause he wants to go outside. Luckily, the weather has been great and I am more than happy to grant his wish.

Thought I would just throw this pic in to see if y’all recognize this gem of a sweater.

So Im a bit late in posting pics of Easter, I get lazy and dont always want to spend a whole naptime editing and posting pics…so ya get em all at once .  Willem had a good ole time pickin up the eggs off the lawn, putting em in his basket, taking em back out, and round and round we go.  What a perfect Easter day we had, great spring weather brings joy inside and out.

It’s Easter proper! Joshua woke up to find a trail of candy leading from his bed, down the hall and to a pile of Easter Bunny excess. Airplanes, marshmallow chicks, Cadberry eggs… the good stuff. Know that most of it has been eaten… and it’s not even 3 pm yet.

The Easter Bunny must have known Papa swore off candy to get into summer shape again (it’s working!), because I had a big ol’ pile of broccoli waiting for me. Yay. Thanks, Easter Bunny.

After having to wait for 3 days (and Mama and Papa having to endure 3 days of “Where’s my surprise? Can I open my surprise?”) to open his Easter present from Gramma and Grampa Vinton, Joshua was stoked to get his very own Spiderman backpack… AND it had stuff in it. Right off the bat he asked, “Can I put my airplanes in it? Can I take it to Hawaii?” Heck yes you can, Brother! And with that, it was straight down to business: he promptly loaded the backpack up with the essentials (treats and toys) and headed for the hills. And by hills, I mean his room.

(Thank you, Gramma and Grampa Vinton!)

In the mean time, hope you all have a great Easter as we remember the significance of the day and how a spring morning almost 2000 years ago made forever possible.

I’m no fan of the cold. At all. Yet there we were at 9 am in the bitter cold of an Easter Eve March morning (no, really– it was 20ish degrees) waiting for the mayor of River Heights to honk his horn and send hordes of children and their overzealous parents into a battle royale over a few bags of Easter candy sprinkled around city hall. As you know, nothing says remember Jesus like pummeling your way to a mouthful of cavities.

Still, Joshua landed a bag and we blew that joint as fast as we got there. Behold his humble loot (as usual, click the pics to get an eyeful):

One hour later we were reliving the same dream in Paradise (a rural town south of us) where the parents were even more embarrassing, but the festivities definitely more fun, i.e.- What’s not to love about hunting for real Easter eggs, chasing real bunnies (catch it and it’s yours for the keeping) and watching grown women tackle one another trying to bag a panicked chicken (once again, catch it and it’s yours for the keeping). You’d think we were in some apocalyptic/famine stricken country to see the way these women went after free rabbits and a lone hen. Not humanity’s finest day.

The real fun came when Joshua had his chance to run with the 0-2 year olds in their rabbit catching extravaganza (two rabbits per age group were set loose). The kids were lined up and at “GO!” charged down a soccer field to smother the docile and oblivious rabbits at the other end. Joshua was one of two kids who actually tried to touch one. In the mean time, a little Sally (see pics below) had the same idea. Good for them! All for fun and ultimate cuteness, right? Not for the anonymous douchebag Dad, who kept pushing/guarding her screaming “PICK IT UP!! PICK IT UP!! PICK IT UUUUUUUUUP!!!”

Dude. It’s a rodent. These are children. Here’s a Prozac.

Needless to say, little Sally got what her Dad wanted the rabbit. Nevertheless, another bunny throttler kid couldn’t keep his rabbit, so Joshua got one (thanks in part to Mari-Catherine developing a soft spot for all things cute and fuzzly after seeing a lawn chewing spawn of Satan “widdle mousy” get stuck in one of our window wells yesterday).

We named our new lop-eared rabbit Gimpy (it’s missing a toe) and brought it home; Where it’s now giving live demonstrations on how to make dingleberries while pooping mini cocoa puffs all over the floor.

Happy Easter everybody!

So Saint Patrick’s Day, as we all know, is not only the day St. Patty did something about Beelzebub’s alter ego and the day April decided the womb was overrated, it’s also the day Great Harvest gets all cutesy and dyes their bread Leprechaun green.

Nasty….

…but apparently not to little guys, who not only get a kick out of green bread and green tongues, they also get a kick out of green poop a day or so later (sans using a bathroom fan, because “The fan makes me freak out, Papa.”)

Bon Appetite!

(Click for the bigness… sorry, no poop)

It’s St. Paddy’s Day! And by St. Paddy’s Day, I mean a great excuse for people to get drunk, wear green and pinch some booty– all in celebration of the day April Ferguson decided to drop in on the world. Hot dog!

So tap a pint (o’ milk), pad your underpants and relieve the grocery store of a box or twelve of Lucky Charms. It’s April’s 32nd Birthday! Happy Birthday, Apey! Hope it’s the best yet.

So things have been quiet around here the last few days. We took Joshua to the dentist to see about getting him some new “teefs” until his permanents grow in. Word is it can be done, so we’ll probably do it. Until then, I’ll post some pics you guys never saw of our last trip to Hawaii (Maui/Kauai)… back when Joshua HAD front teeth. The trip must have made an impression on him, because ever since (he wasn’t even 2 yet), he’s been asking to go back. Just yesterday, he was asking if we could leave tomorrow and, while looking at these pics, saying “I want to go to that Hawaii.” So who am I to smash the little guys dreams? Anyway, for the sake of keeping posts alive- here ya go. Two of these are my all-time favorites. Lemme know if you can guess which they are…

As i was about to log off after posting willems stuff, i was just thinking, and thought id share …
This blog thing is the coolest for many reasons, but one especially. We may not all use it as often as some, but the greatest thing is that Dan the man, who we all seem to loose contact with the most does use it (and so well too). And i was just thinking how awesome it is to be able to get constant updates and pics and cool stuff from our big brother and son. It sure it great being able to hear from ya so much dan. love ya tons!