Croup strikes again

Well Luke, you had your drama last night for sure! Time to record it for future reading material for you.

All day you had been coughing with a dry cough, and I mentioned to daddy that it sounded croupy. Didn't stop you though, you were running around playing wii with daddy (swordfighting of course) and then joined in with the fun at messy church too. At bedtime we gave you some ventalin and Vicks and propped your pillow. 

But an hour later, I could hear you coughing deeply with every breath you took, even though I had headphones on and was in the lounge! When I checked on you, I could see you were struggling to get a breath, coughing like a seal with your eyes large and chest heaving. 

I whisked you outside (night air always helped your sisters in croup). No change. I considered the shower steam and yelled at daddy to get the steroid medicine the doc gave us after the last croup attack. But another couple of bad breaths from you, mummy instinct took over and I grabbed you and the car keys and headed off  to the hospital as fast as I was allowed to! 

The nurses could see immediately that you needed fast help, and you were whisked straight down to the emergency department. You needed help to get breathing, so they put a mask on you and you had to breathe in special medicine for several minutes. You cried and cried sitting on my lap, but after 5 minutes you were calmer and breathing well again. I took a photo to send to daddy so he knew what was going on, and then the nurse grabbed my phone and took some more, trying to distract you in your tears! 

We needed to stay for a couple of hours after your medicine while they kept an eye on you. You shook a little from the adrenaline but soon were resting under a blanket, a monitor attached to your toe. 

The nurse who looked after you was really nice, she even found a charger for mummy's phone so I could update friends and family! 

After about an hour, the steroids kicked in and you were very happy! You were chatting to me about what songs you sing at church that day, describing little einsteins episodes and commenting on all you could see. We even sung the ABC song together. You kept asking when your special nurse would come back, I think you liked her a lot. Finally, after a two and a half hour stay - at 10:45 we were allowed to go home to bed. 

You woke up at 8am the next day, tired and coughing but breathing normally. Whew Luke, I'm thankful for Gods healing touch and wise doctors! 

CSI at our house

On Friday we arrived home to find the curtain rail on the floor and the small high window wide open. My heart sank as I ran into the lounge and the girls yelled out "mum, our stereo is gone!". The front door was wide open, the key gone. Drawers were open, clothes and jewellery  tossed aside. The iPad was gone, as was the iPod touch and a cellphone. We were all shaken as we rang the police and checked in with neighbours. The kids cried and slept in the same bed that night, Marty and I couldn't focus well on anything. I felt so violated, some stranger had dared come into our personal space, walk around in our home taking what they please and see our photos on the wall. It's unnerving at best. But I was grateful that they had left the big items (although that irked me - will they be back!?!) and That I was able to wipe the iPad remotely of personal info. So this morning the police showed up ready to take fingerprints and do their CSI work!

We joked with them about the show (they can't stand watching it as its so fake and wrong) and they commented if only they also had Maseratis to drive around in! 

The kids were fascinated as they dusted for prints and used their blue light and magnifying glass to see the results.

Jaimee watched with wide eyes until lovely Bruce offered to do her print! So pressed her handprint on the glass and Bruce dusted it and showed her the results! Can you spot her print up by the Lemon tree in the photo? Pretty cool, so Luke had to have his done too. Pity they didn't find many prints from our unwelcome visitor though. 

We had to be printed too, so they could eliminate our fingers. I've never had that done before, was a bit weird after all the TV I watch! They showed us the footprints they found and explained it was a basketball shoe and how they knew. They assured us they probably won't be back, they are more intereste in the smaller items like iPads then home computers. And they recommended getting a home alarm...so Marty is putting one in right now! What a weekend. Sheesh. 

First circus trip!

We received a massive blessing this weekend from some loving friends from our church family - a trip to the circus!!! This was something we have never done before, so the kids were soooo excited (and let's be honest - so were we!) I have been itching to see cirque de seile for ages, but it's so far to go...so thank you zirka circus for coming to us here in hawkes bay! 

I didn't have expectations of this being wod class, but boy was I mistaken! I was blown away by the incredible acrobatics and contortions, performed by a very young circus crew. When the children were doing flips off the feet of others lying on the ground and then landing BACK on their feet...wow. There were tricks I have never seen before, jumping and flipping on bendy beams held by others, pole acrobatics, huge flips with massive height thanks to a giant swing launching them off, and beautiful swinging through silk held only by a carefully placed ankle...we gasped, we oooohhhed, we loved it all. 

Here's a few pics from zirka circus website as we couldn't take photos inside! 

And of course at the conclusion, there was lots of handstands, cartwheels, walkovers, trampolining and general prancing around by the kids who I think all want to join the circus now! We finished the day In true theme mode: watching cirque des saile perform on Netflix!