Overnight at Gramma's, Botanical Gardens & SummerFest

I realized that I never posted the udpate on Riley from her appointment with the Neurologist, so here is the email I sent out after her appointment last week:

We just returned from the visit at the Neurologist for Riley. He was very matter of fact (like most Neurologists), but he was excellent with Riley. She was such a big girl and didn’t fuss one time! They measured her head and checked her reflexes. He also looked at her eyes and checked her ability to follow sound and light. All checked out fine. He did order an EEG (scheduled for June 13 @ 9am) as well as an MRI (to be scheduled). The MRI will be done as an outpatient procedure at Scottish Rite and she will be completely sedated for that one. We have a follow up appointment with him for July 2 to go over all of the results. Based on our family history, the fact that she is otherwise completely healthy and that she had a clear CT scan, there is about a 2% chance that they will find any “reason” as to why this seizure occurred. We are praying to be part of that 98% and close this chapter! Thanks for your prayers and please continue to keep us on your list until we get through this next month.

Glad that is behind us and looking forward to posting on July 2nd with a completely clean bill of health!!!

Uncle Scott and Aunt Tracy were supposed to come visit us this past weekend, but since Grandma Hutch had to go back to the hospital and have another procedure on her heart, we all agreed it was better for them to go to Rochester rather than Atlanta. Grandma Hutch is doing better. Her lung was punctured when they were putting in a central line, so she is dealing with the lung issues now more than her heart. She hopes to be home by Wednesday. Kevin is flying up on Thursday to be with her through the weekend.

We had arranged for Riley and Ryan to spend the night at Gramma's house on Friday night so we could go out with Scott and Tracy and possibly sleep in a bit on Saturday, so she agreed to have them still come. It was a great break for us and I know they all had a ball there. Grandaddy was also there to help take care of them. They played in the new pool and had a blast splashing around in the water. They weren't totally sure about it at first, but it didn't take long to decide it was something fun! They were excellent eaters and slept well too! We picked them up after their nap on Saturday. I'm not sure who had more fun - the kiddos or the adults!

Playing in their new pool complete with a slide!

They decided they wanted to swim again after dinner and baths...in their pj's. So this is them waiting for their PJ's to dry.

After we picked them up, we met the Cole family at the Botanical Gardens for an afternoon of fun. They really enjoyed walking through all the trails and looking at the different ponds. One of them even had water falls and another one had live frogs! They saw bees making honey (behind glass, but it still freaked me out), and went down several slides. Next time we go we will definitely bring a towel and play in the water fountain! I didn't have my camera, but Joy did take some photos - I will post them once I get them from her.

It's amazing to me that such a sweet little angel can be so BAD!!! She threw some interesting tantrums this weekend that we hope are not repeated!

I snapped this sweet photo just before we left (late) for church. I'm glad I took the time to take the picture...and we even made it there in time for them to get into the nursery! These were the very cute outfits sent to them by their Great Aunt Bobbie...

On Sunday we went to church and brunch again at J Christophers. Unfortunately, brunch didn't go nearly as well as last week. Riley was screaming at the top of her lungs and not really interested in eating. She was taken out once by each of us. Not the best showing for the Hutchinson clan. Did you see that I mentioned Riley's tantrums with the picture above?

That afternoon we met the Talberts (they have 4.5 month old b/g twins and live 2 houses down from us) at the SummerFest in Virginia Highlands. They had a large sand area for the kids complete with fun music and best of all for Ryan - bubbles! They had a lot of fun playing around there. They were very hungry, so they ate several snacks. Ryan kept going to the bag in the stroller asking for more. I even caught him on film trying to sneak a snack (see picture below)! We then decided to walk through the festival area and with 2 double strollers it wasn't the best idea we've ever had. It was really hot and Riley and Ryan were not too thrilled about being strapped in. We soon left and headed home for a nice cookout. Another great weekend in the lives of Riley and Ryan!

This was the crew complete with 2 sets of twins relaxing in the kids area...before we left to go fight the crowds and the heat!

They loved playing in the sand together:

Riley especially loved the sand. She really likes to dig. Her teachers at school commented on how much she likes to "move dirt". I guess it makes it more girly if she's wearing a pretty dress and hat?!?!?

BUSTED!!! Here's a photo of Ryan caught red-handed sneaking the snack bag...and yes - he put his hat on his head that way all by himself!

I know this was the highlight of Riley's day - getting to ride on Daddy's shoulders (and get out of that crazy stroller!)

Kevin is very busy with work this week (working until 10pm most nights) and will be in Rochester from Thursday through Sunday, so I will have a lot of extra time with them. It should be a lot of fun but very exhausting week. Can't wait to share the exciting tales I'm sure to have!

Web Albums Added:

http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090605GrammaS

http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090607Summerfest#

Summer is here!

Summer time is finally here and what a fantastic weekend it was! On Thursday night I went to the Kenny Chesney concert with 7 other people and had the time of my life. It was such a great concert (I've seen him 7 times and this was by far the best one yet)! This has become a yearly tradition with some of my greatest friends and it jump started my summer for sure! It was a great time to relax and have a little fun after the week (or so) we've had! Friday was tough - going to work after only 4 1/2 hours of sleep - but I made it through the day and was fast asleep by 830 on Friday night!

On Saturday we got up early and went to the pool to practice the moves we learned at swimming lessons. They loved playing in the baby pool - which was great with us! We didn't have to hold them the whole time and they enjoyed the freedom. Ryan and I were the first to arrive and literally we had the entire pool area to ourselves. I bet we won't experience that very often this summer. The Cole family joined us for swim time and a picnic lunch pool side. We were there for almost 3 hours and boy did they have a great nap after we got home!

One of the things Riley and Ryan are learning in their new class is how to drink out of a real cup (not a sippy cup) so they LOVE it when we let them practice at home. I'm not so keen on the idea, but it makes them so happy I've indulged a few times. While Kevin and Ryan ran a few errands, Riley practiced with her cup that has the built in straw. She had a few spills (which she was quick to point out to me to clean up), but overall she did fantastic! See for yourself:

On Saturday night Ms. Ashley from their old class came to stay with them so Kevin and I could go out on a real date! They were so excited to see her and they played with her until 8:15! I think that's the latest they've been to bed...maybe ever! I told her they could stay up as long as she was ok with it so they must have been on their best behavior. I know it was a treat for them to have here here. We had a fantastic dinner and were quickly reminded how much we need a date night! It was nice to feel like a couple rather than just parents!

We made it up for early church on Sunday and then went out to brunch with Gramma. It was a great meal and it was early enough that Riley and Ryan were very good at the restaurant - not too tired or too hungry by the time we got there. When we got home the 3 of us crashed for a much needed nap. When we got up it was only 2:00, so we still had time to make a trip to the park at Underwood Hills. There were a lot of people there, but luckily the little kids play area hardly had anyone on it. They loved the slide as well as the "thingy" below. I'm not sure what you call it, but they loved going back and forth.

Riley's hair is finally coming in. It cracked me up when she went down the slide. By the time she got to the end the static electricity had it sticking up in every direction. Kinda reminds me of my hair as a child!


And last but not least, on Sunday night I was able to spend some time with one of my dearest friends from college, Jeannie. Jeannie's sister is a very talented author and she was in town from NY for the book release party. Jeannie is pregnant with her 3rd boy and could not have looked more beautiful! We had some time to catch up at dinner, but every time I get to briefly see her it's bittersweet because I realize just how much I miss getting to see her more often. I so wished she lived closer and we were able to experience this time in our lives together. Miss you!

This is Patti's 6th book and I can't wait to read it! One of the main characters names is Riley - so it has to be good, right? If you get a chance you should pick up a copy of her newest book - released today! I haven't read it yet, but I can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed. Here's more info: http://www.patticallahanhenry.com/books/driftwood_summer.asp

One last update - definitely last but not least...

Grandma Hutch had an angiogram last Wednesday due to some abnormalities in some tests they ran on her heart. They didn't find any blockage, but because things didn't seem stable with her heart rhythms, etc. they decided to implant a defibrillator in her heart on Thursday. The procedure went well and she was home resting in Rochester on Friday. Uncle Scott was able to be there with her from Wednesday until Saturday. We just found out tonight that she has had some discomfort and is back in the hospital. She will have surgery tomorrow morning at 730 to remove some fluid surrounding her heart. We will be praying for a successful day tomorrow and a pain free recovery!

Just 3 more days until Uncle Scott and Aunt Tracy come to visit us in Atlanta!

Web Albums Added:

http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090529MacaroniCheese#

http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090530PoolWithAvery#

http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090530BigGirlCup#

http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090531SundayAtThePark#

First Day in EPS 1 & Memorial Day Weekend

Riley and Ryan started in their new class (EPS 1) last Tuesday. They are really growing up! I snapped a few photos of the big kids before school that morning. The big changes for this class are that they no longer use sippy cups. They drink out of real cups only! I think it's great, but I assured their teachers that we would not be doing that at home just yet. We will give it a shot at meal time, but all I visualize is milk and juice spilled all over my house. They are also now "downstairs". All the younger classrooms are upstairs, so moving downstairs is a milestone. There is an elevator, which I think we will utilize, but our first day I tried to let them go down the stairs. I ended up carrying both of them together. That's over 50 pounds! I think I will wait on the stairs until they have mastered that concept. The good news is that the elevator is right outside their classroom, so it is easy access.

After the incident with Riley on Wednesday, we kept them home on Thursday and the school was closed for a teacher workday on Friday, so we had a 5 day weekend! Sounds fabulous, but it was a tough weekend. Kevin was sick all weekend (still not feeling all that great) so Riley, Ryan and I spent a lot of time together. They were so good, but it is so incredibly exhausting keeping 2 19 month olds entertained for 5 days. Did I mentioned it rained at some point every day? We weren't able to spend a lot of time outside and they like to "go". We made it to swim lessons on Saturday morning...Aunt Lori went with me in Kevin's place and then I got to sneak off for a much needed massage. My whole body ached from the stress of the week, so I was able to relax for an hour and a half! What a treat! On Saturday night we hosted a party in the neighborhood at our clubhouse, but Kevin was still too sick to join us, so I went solo. It was so much fun, but we missed Kevin terribly! I don't think I've been to a party without him in years?!?!

Kevin was feeling better on Sunday, so we met Gramma for lunch and then after nap we went to Piedmont Park. It was tons of fun for them to just run and play! They loved the playground there and climbed on everything they could find. They slid down the slides all by themselves like big kids. After the park, we finished the afternoon with a visit for Coldstone for ice cream! What a fun family time together.

Here's the video I put together (forgot the camera in the car, so no pictures - ugh!):

On Monday (Memorial Day), the Fenzls hosted a cookout. Kevin took a turn for the worst after the ice cream, so he didn't join us again. I felt so bad for him. He just camped out in the basement all day eating crackers and drinking gatorade. We had a fun afternoon with lots of good food (bbq ribs, chicken, beans, potato salad, apple pie and ice cream). Does it get much better than that?

This is a picture of the crew from the neighborhood (unfortunately w/o Kevin). We had both sets of twins there as well as the Fenzl "big kids" - oh yeah and the adults were there too! Fun, but totally exhausting weekend! Looking forward to seeing Kenny Chesney on Thursday night!

We have the appointment with the neurologist on Monday, June 1st. I will post the outcome of that visit as soon as we know something.

Web Albums Added:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090518FirstDayInEPS1#
http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090522MemorialDayWeekend#

Our Big Scare

As I've said in the past, this blog is my way of keeping a "journal" of sorts of the happenings of Riley's and Ryan's lives. The week to week happenings and events. Although Wednesday was a day we would all like to forget, I want to record it here as it is an important chapter in Riley's life. We are so thankful that things turned out the way they did and realize how quickly "life as we know it" can change! This is the email I sent out to our friends updating them on Wednesday:

We have had a very tough day today. Ryan has been sick, so we had arranged for my mom to be here today to stay with him. When Riley got up she was a bit fussy so we decided to keep her home today too. About 1030 this morning, Riley had a seizure. My mom was right there with her and couldn’t have handled the situation any better. They were walking up the stairs and Riley just stopped. My mom picked her up and she was stiff. She instantly knew something was wrong and got her to the kitchen floor and she began seizing. I can’t imagine what that experience was like, but I’m so thankful she called 911, got her on her side and kept her safe until the paramedics arrived. By the time I got home I hopped into the ambulance and we headed to Scottish Rite. She was lethargic and even slept in the ambulance (which is so unlike her), but eventually perked up soon after we got to the ER. They did a CT scan and there are no tumors or bleeding on the brain. Praise God! The doctor told us that a “first time seizure” is very common and many times children never have another episode. We will follow up with a neurologist tomorrow and hopefully get her seen within the next week. We were home by about 400 today and once the sedative wore off that they gave her for the CT scan, she was totally back to normal. Ryan seems to be much better too! They ate a good dinner and went down for bed right on time – we’re hoping mommy and daddy aren’t far behind them! We may never know why she had this seizure, but we are eternally grateful that everything turned out the way it did today. I have no doubt that God was watching over all of us every step of the way…even in our decision to keep her home today when she wasn’t really even sick yet. Please keep her in your prayers as we proceed with the neurologist and pray that we will get a perfectly clean bill of health for her.

Thank you for all the people that pitched in today and called us out of concern when you saw the fire truck and ambulance at our house (I had 3 calls before I even got home!), didn’t think twice and took Ryan and kept him totally safe and happy so we could be with Riley, locked up our house, moved my car out of the street (not even sure I put it in park when I pulled up!), got our dogs settled, brought us a car seat to the hospital, brought us dinner, called, emailed, texted, and most of all prayed. You know who you are! We are surrounded by the greatest friends in the world! I’m sure there was more than this that went on to help us that we don’t even realize. Thank you thank you thank you!

This is the follow up email I just sent tonight:

I wanted to check back in to give you an update… I’m sorry I haven’t been able to return every call and email. I’m totally exhausted. We made an appointment for Riley with a pediatric neurologist for Monday, June 1st. Hopefully we will get all the tests run and have a great outcome from that! Riley seems completely back to normal – YAY!!! On Thursday we were home and had a great day…until late in the afternoon Riley threw up everywhere and I mean everywhere. I figured she had finally caught what Ryan had earlier this week, but so far that was it for her. She hasn’t had any more issues since then. But – last night Kevin had terrible “tummy issues”. He was up throughout the night and he’s been terribly weak today and downright pitiful. He weighs 8 pounds less than he did a few days ago…if you know what I mean. As of now I’m the only one that has been healthy this week. Now – I’m just tired! Nurse Heidi is ready to go back to work for a break! J Thank you for your prayers and we will check back in after the next appointment. Happy Memorial Day!

I want to have a record of how happy Riley was by the time we were ready to leave the hospital! She's such a ham! Boy we were glad to see her beautiful smile after such a crazy day! The first picture is a bit blurry, so if you can't tell...yes - that is a cell phone on her head! She was totally into entertaining us and the people at Scottish Rite.

Here are a few others we snapped of the tiny baby girl on that big hospital bed.

On the way to the CT scan

Checking everything out

Finally able to drink some gatorade!!!!

Katharyn Graduates from Pre-K

This post is not about any of the Hutchinsons, but rather about our special friend, Katharyn. We met Katharyn before she was born and she has lived next door to us her whole life (in 2 different neighborhoods). Katharyn, better known to us as Kat, graduated from Pre-K at Open Arms on Friday. It was a wonderful ceremony where her class recited the pledge of allegiance, recited a poem and sang several songs including "I am a Promise". I still remember that song from my own childhood and it was so refreshing to hear these 5 year olds singing such a classic. I have to admit when the Director of the program started talking I got a bit teary eyed as she started recalling things along the lines of these precious children entering these doors as babies and now leaving as strong and smart children ready for elementary school! I still think of Katharyn's first months in this world as a fussy and colicky baby and how we all just wanted her to be happy (especially her parents). I think she cried almost constantly for about 6 months, but she survived and is now a thriving and happy young lady. I think back to all the time we spent with her prior to us having our own children and all that we learned about the unconditional love one can have for a child. She taught us a lot of lessons that better enabled us to care for our own children. She'll never know how much she has taught us about many things. Just 16 months ago, Katharyn was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo surgery in her abdominal area to remove the large tumor. I watch as this brave little girl, along with her very brave family, braced for what we all thought was going to be a long battle. Little did we know that God had a special plan and 2 weeks after her diagnosis she was cancer free! No more cancer and no treatment other than the surgery she had. It was truly a miracle! We were able to witness first hand the power of prayer and we know that there are great things in store for this bright, beautiful, talented, loving, happy and healthy little girl! I still refer to Kat as my "firstborn" and although I now have my own "first born", Kat will remain in my heart in that capacity as well! Although she is not a blood relative, she is our special friend! Congratulations Katharyn - we love you and are very proud of you!


I can't post without mentioning Riley and Ryan, so here's just a little blurb about them...
After the graduation, Kevin took Riley home - we weren't so sure how she would do at the restaurant so we decided not to risk it with her, but I decided to give it a shot with Ryan. So he and I joined the dinner celebration at a Japanese Steakhouse. He was great! He loved the "show" that the cook put on and loved drinking from his own cup with a straw - they even put an umbrella in the cup for him! There was lots of steam from the cooking and he kept yelling "bubbles" every time he saw the steam!!

We had swim lessons on Saturday morning and Riley jumped in before we got in the pool. Luckily Kevin was right there and the teacher was in the water, so no major catastrophe. Needless to say, they are loving the water and jumping in off the side like they've been doing it their whole lives. We had a quiet rainy day here today. They move up to their new class EPS1 tomorow and start on the downstairs hall with all the big kids. Time is flying and before we know it we'll be attending their Pre-K Graduation!

Web Albums Added:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090515KatSPreKGraduation#
http://picasaweb.google.com/hutchinson.heidi/20090516WeekendFun#