Strep Times Three, and a Seizure Please

So these last couple of weeks have definitely been probably one of the worst weeks in my life...

The last day of Jeff's parents' visit, Alex started running a fever and by the next morning it was at 105°F (yes 105, it's not a typo). Fortunately, Jeff's parents could stay a little longer and watch the twins so that I could take him to see a doctor.

Diagnosis...Alex has Strep Throat! (#1) So he gets put on antibiotics and we go on our merry way. Over the next 3 days his fever keeps coming back up to near 105 eventhough he's taking the antibiotics and we keep pumping him full of Tylenol and Motrin. By the 4th day when his fever just does not want to break and I get a reading of 105.7°F...I take him to the ER and they put him on a different antibiotic (IV of course) and that finally seems to work. He stays at home for a few more days and eventually gets back to his wild self again.

A few days later, as I come back from work, I get greeted by a nasty surprise...As I walk in the door into the kitchen...our nanny is holding Matt who appears to have been crying. As she says that he just woke up from his nap and is super cranky with a slight fever...Matthew has the "Exorcist Moment"...he starts vomiting all over her (and I mean all over...her hair, her clothes...you get the picture). I don't know for whom to feel more sorry...Matthew for being sick or the nanny for getting a "shower of her life".
The biggest irony in this whole situation...I was planning on firing our nanny when I walked in the door as our twins will be getting into Alex's pre-school soon. I just didn't have the heart to tell her right at that moment (I waited a couple of days).

So after the vomiting, Matthew seems to feel 100% better and I hold him on the couch for a little bit. As I hold him and he rests his head on my shoulder he appears to get a chill...but then I realize that this is something much more as the shaking doesn't stop. As I pull him away from me, I see what I hope no parent ever has to see...Matthew is having a seizure! and as he starts turning gray and does not appear to be breathing, I dial 911 and I try my best to stay collected so as to not to scare Alex and Zach. The seizure lasts about 4 minutes, after which Matt loses consiousness, and as I prepare myself to have to do CPR to save my son's life, the ambulance arrives!

Within a minute or so, Matthew starts coming out of it and appears responsive. The paramedics indicate that he most likely had a febrile seizure (seizure due to a fever - eventhough his fever was less than 101) and they get him undressed to cool him off and they get him in the ambulance. With the nanny already gone and Jeff still at work, I load up Alex and Zach and follow the ambulance to the hospital, trying not to freak out knowing that Matthew is with complete strangers and there is nothing I can do at that moment.

Jeff meets us at the hospital and Matt endures all kinds of needle pricks, IV's and tests. At the end...they determine it was a febrile seizure most likely due to some virus...WRONG!!! A follow-up with our doctor the next day indicates that Matthew has Strep Throat! (#2). We get sent home with antibiotics, anti-seizure medication and directive to give him Tylenol/Motrin at the first sign of fever as it's possible to have another febrile seizure in the future. As it turns out...I had several such seizures when I was a baby...I don't know how my parent handled that.

So as we sleep on pins and needles worrying about Matthew having another seizure, I start feeling a sore throat. The next day I go to the doctors office...Diagonosis: I have Strep Throat! (#3) I end up staying home for 2 days as the fever and chills get the better of me. Although I'm finally feeling better today, the strep must have turned into tonsillitis as swallowing has become unbearable with my tonsils swollen and red.

So as you can tell by how late I make this post...I still can't sleep very well...constantly worried about Matthew having another seizure, but hopefully he will be back to normal soon.

Grandparents in Town

Jeff's parents made the long drive from Kansas City to visit it us a couple of weeks ago, and we really enjoyed their stay. We weren't very good at taking lots of pictures, but here's at least one of the twins with grandpa and grandma...

Jeff and I got to go to the movies for the first time in a really long time while the grandparents babysat...we were really thankful to get some kid-free time together!

A little random... a little before the grandparents visit, Alex got yet another haircut...I swear his hair grows like weeds!

Before

After (although it's back to before 2 weeks later)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Ok...so I'm a little behind on my postings. It's been very busy around here with work, holidays, travel, and illnesses, but hopefully I'll get caught up with the next couple of posts.

We spent Christmas with my parents in Corpus Christi. My sister and her husband flew down from Wisconsin as well.


Alex and Mom waiting for Santa...Matt, on the other hand, is not thrilled


Matthew

...and Zachary

Alex is super excited to see Santa...let's open some presents!



Look at those coveralls for the twins!


Mom, could you please hurry up with getting the tags off.

Matt and Zach seemed to enjoy the bows the best.


Everyone enjoying all the fun, and Aunt Ewie has matching footsie pajamas!


Mom and Dad...and Aunt Ewie and Uncle Jake getting their Xmas Blanket


Here are some other pictures from our trip to Corpus.

Alex at the USS Lexington

Matt and Zach enjoying the slides at the nearby park...Corpus is known for being windy, but we actually had gusts of over 50 mi/hr that day. I don't know what we were thinking about going to the park, just to get blown around.

Twin Stats

The twins had their 15-month check-up recently and they are doing great...Although now they are both recovering from colds. What a fun Christmas week it will be :-) Overall, they are both super tall with large heads and average weight...can't complain.

Matthew

Height: 33.5 inches (97th percentile)

Weight: 25 lbs 3 oz (60th percentile)

Head Circumference: 48.25 cm (80th percentile)

Zachary

Height: 32.5 inches (90th percentile)
Weight: 24 lbs (50th percentile) - he's really been eating well and gaining more weight - those cheeks are definitely getting a little fatter
Head Circumference: 49.75 cm (97th percentile)

This video is unrelated to this posting, but it's the most recent one of all the boys. We decided to give ALL 3 a bath at the same time...Matt and Alex definitely enjoyed the experience and Zach was still a little unsure.

Pre-Christmas Festivities

We finally got our tree set-up last week...Unfortunately with the 2 monkey twins getting into everything, we had to get out our smaller tree this year and place it in a somewhat unusual position...Don't laugh at our poor little tree; it looks HUGE from the street as we have the bottom blinds closed.

Alex had his Christmas show at pre-school a couple of weeks ago and there was definitely a lot less of the "deer in the headlights" look this year. He even took the mike this time...who knows...a future American Idol?

Alex singing "We wish you a Merry X-mas"

After the show, Alex told Santa what he wanted for Christmas...Henry the train and a garage for all his cars

The following week, we went to the Company kids Holiday party and the boys really could not wait to get home, as can be seen from their first experience with Santa

At least Alex and mom enjoyed our time ice skating...

Snow in Texas

So we got a little dusting of snow about a week ago (definitely not as much as last year), but enough for the kids to get a little taste of what winter is supposed to be like.


Our front yard "Winter Wonderland"


Matt all bundled up.....................Zach waiting for the snow

Alex playing in the snow

Thanksgiving

We spent our Thanksgiving this year with my sister's in-laws in Sugar Land, TX (suburb of Houston). My sister and her husband flew in from Wisconsin, and my parents drove up to Houston as well. Everyone had a really great time, and the twins definitely showed my sister's in-laws that they will definitely need to do a little more baby-proofing for any future grandkids.

All the adults ready to eat...shhhh...all the kids are napping!

The boys with their friend Luke

My sister "schooling me" in Wii bowling

Zach and Daddy just watching the Wii match

On Saturday after Thanksgiving, we all went to the Houston Zoo.

The boys with the giraffes

The gang with my sister

Aunt Ewie and Alex petting the goats

So this is what it feels like to be in a bubble! (I really need one...maybe that way the kids will never get sick)