Happy Anniversary?

Yesterday marked my & Johnny's 5 year anniversary.





5 years ago on a beautiful sunny day we said I Do in the sunshine in front of our friends and family. It was the most perfect day and night.





4 years ago we headed to a small B&B in New Hampshire to eat our year-old cake and explore the area.





3 years ago we were in Virginia for my cousin's wedding and enjoyed our anniversary exploring DC.





2 years ago we sat in a small NICU room watching over a baby hooked up to a CPAP hoping and praying for his body to heal and come home with us.





1 year ago we took a night away from the above baby- Colby of course- to relax and rushed home as soon as we could the next AM.





This year we didn't plan anything. I said over and over I didn't want to leave the kiddos so I wanted to stay home... only I really planned a whole day/evening for us with babysitters lined up as a surprise. In the afternoon Grandma headed over so we could mini-golf (a throwback to year ago) and grab a quick lunch. After we packed up the kiddos and headed down to Grammy & Grampy's. We got all 3 settled and said goodbye. Colby was excited to play with Uncle Matt, my brother who is leaving for Texas for a year on Wednesday for his Masters. My parents also had plans to bring all 3 to the town fair later in the evening.





We headed to a hotel in Providence where we got ready and headed to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. After a quick wait we ordered and contemplated the rest of the evening. We settled on an 8:50 showing of The Change Up. Soon after around 8pm our dinner arrived and we started eating our food.



Two bites in "Grammy's Cell" popped up on Johnny's phone because I had left mine in the room. We missed answering it so I quickly called back commenting "They better be calling to say goodnight!" My parents have never once called while babysitting...





Quickly my dad answers and I think I hear "Colby had a fever." Thinking it was kind of silly for him to call for that, I ask what he's talking about and he repeats what he said--- only I hear it correctly-- "Colby had a seizure." He quickly explains that Colby was in the First Aid tent receiving oxygen and that they were waiting on the ambulance to transport him to the Children's Hospital. Luckily Johnny and I were in the city and only minutes from the hospital- we quickly paid the check, ran to our room to get his insurance card, and then raced to the hospital. I was nervous-- I was pretty sure we would learn it was a seizure caused by the fever spike, but I until I heard from my mom that he was alert I couldn't help but think that he wouldn't come to, or he would stop breathing and complications of his prematurity would come up. However, once my mom called and let me know he was alert and responsive I was fine- scared for Colby, but I knew (or at least was pretty sure) that he was going to be okay. Johnny on the other hand had never heard of febrile seizures and he was completely panicked.

When we made it to the OR my poor baby was screaming and terrified. By then my mom had made it (she was in ambulance with him) and my brother Chris & his fiance were there. My dad and brother Matt were following with the girls adn my brother Jeff and his wife were on their way. All Colby wanted was Mama so I stripped him down and tried to console him but he was understandably miserable and scared to death. They had tried to start an IV in the ambulance but they couldn't get it in, he had been strapped to an unknown carseat, they hadn't let my mom sit next ot him in the ambulance because she had to be belted... basically I would have been terrified if I were him too.

Eventually they gave him tylenol to get the fever down (I have NEVER felt anyone so hot in my entire life) and we calmed him down with the help of an iPhone and Calliou. We saw a nurse, a resident, and the attending who all assured us that he would be fine (though it took a lot of convincing for Johnny). We were sent on our way shortly after midnight. My parents took the girls as planned, but we weren't letting the Bug out of our sight, so we made a trip to a 24 hour CVS for snacks and tylenol and our Anniversary getaway turned into a sleepover party with Colby.

Over 24 hours later his fever is still rearing its ugly head and I'm just hoping that we have seen the last of the seizures for life. He's definitely fighting some sort of GI bug, but when his fever is down he's up to his old antics. He's a tough cookie!

I feel the worst for my poor parents and my brother Matt. My mom was holding Colby at the time-- they noticed he was feeling warm so they were on their way to leave the fair to get him tylenol when he asked for one more ride on the Choo-Choo. As they were getting ready to get on the ride he started seizing so I am so glad she was holding him so he couldn't get hurt. She immediately raced to my brother and Dad and called 911. They found the med-tent where Paramedics administered the oxygen and made sure he was okay. Matt immediatley called my brothers Chris and Jeff to let them know that Colby had had the seizure.

In the end it all reminded me a little more just how ridiculously loved this little boy is. My brothers rushed to the hospital and everyone stayed for hours even though they were just stuck in the waiting room. They all helped with the girls when Johnny & I couldn't. Today Chris & Stephie brought Colby donuts, Jeff & Nikki helped watch the girls so I could take cake of Colby, and Matt bought Colby bubbles and a truck to make him feel better.

So in the end, Colby's okay. I know it's totally normal and he'll be okay even if he has another, but he's already been through enough in his short life... I wish he didn't have to deal with this (though I guess he won't remember... only we will). And we're hoping and praying the girls don't get his bug and that they escape toddlerhood without ever having a seizure... because apparentlly there is a genetic predisposition. Great. :(

Suffice to say... Anniversary wasn't so romatic, but our bug is okay and that's all that matters.


When we