Julia and Mommy were having a conversation in the car and Julia asked Mommy to do something for her…
Mommy: Sweetie, I can’t stop the car right now because we are on the highway.
Julia: Mommy, are we on the highway or the low-way?
Just one day after having an awesome “Ariel” themed third birthday party…
Julia: Daddy, can I have another Ariel party?
Daddy: You know that you are my Little Princess, right?
Julia: No. Today I was your Little Princess. Tonight I am your Little Monkey.
(While running and screaming) Julia: I’m Saving The World!
Grandi: Just FYI: I could not stop singing the watermelon song this weekend…in a faux Julia voice…I even got sick of myself, but I love it!
Julia: Daddy, are you exercising?
Daddy: Yes Sweetie, I am using the eliptical machine. You cannot use this but maybe when you get to be an older girl you can.
Julia: Yes, when my belly is so big and strong like yours Daddy, then I will exercise.
Julia: Daddy, my breath hurts.
Day 1
Daddy: Look Julia, It’s a Motorcycle.
Day 2
Daddy: Look Julia, It’s a Motorcycle.
Day 3
Daddy: Look Julia, It’s a Motorcycle.
Day 4
Julia: Look Daddy, a Sodermichael.
Looking at a bullseye symbol…
Julia: Is that Target?
Who says marketing doesn’t work?
As Julia pours water on Daddy’s arm…
Julia: “I am getting your beard wet. Your arm beard.”
I suppose beard is better then fur.
Daddy: We are going to a BBQ at Grandma LAurie’s tomorrow and do you know who else will be there? Grandma Marcia.
Julia: Wow, I have 3 Grandmas… Grandma Laurie, Grandma Marcia and Bubbie.
Daddy: Bubbie will be there tomorrow too as well as Grandma Lily.
Julia: Wow, I have so many Grandmas. And Grandi too.
Julia: Why?
Mommy: Because I said So.
Julia: Soap?
Mommy: So.
Julia: Why?
Daddy: I was at work today.
Julia: Why?
Daddy: So I can make money.
Julia: Why?
Daddy: Juliaaaaaaaaaaa.
Julia: What did you do at work?
Daddy: Well, I did my work… and I went to the bank.
Julia: Why?
Daddy: To put some money in the bank.
Julia: Oh, like I put money in my bank. (Yes, she is talking about the place where she puts her change. She must have thought I went to where I keep my change)
Daddy: And I went to a deli for lunch.
Julia: You went to Aunt Ellie’s?
Daddy: No I went to a deli.
Julia: Oh, Aunt Ellie.
Daddy: Ha ha… no sweetie. A delicatessen. A place to get a sandwich. Aunt Ellie’s is too far to go for lunch.
Julia: Oh.
While giving Julia a bath, she decided to pour a bucket of water on Daddy’s arm….
Daddy: What are you doing Julia?
Julia: I am getting your fur wet.
Julia: Daddy, we stopped the ice cream man and I ate a Dora ice cream bar and it is all delicious in my belly.
Julia: Mommy, where are your long earrings?
Mommy: They are in the jewelry box.
Julia: Why?
Mommy: Because I wanted to wear these earrings.
Julia: Why?
Mommy: Because Daddy gave them to me.
Julia: Why?
Mommy: Because he loves me.
Julia: Oooooh.
Julia: Oh, look at that picture of you and Mommy.
Daddy: Yes, it is from a few years ago. We were at a friend’s wedding.
Julia: And someone took your beard.
Daddy: Ha ha, yes, I didn’t have a beard then.
Julia: Just on your chin.
Daddy: Yes, it was much smaller and mostly on my chin.
Julia (pointing to her chin): My chin.
Daddy: Yes, that is your chin, and it is never going to have hair.
Julia: Daddy, what princess is that on your shirt?
Daddy: It’s not a princess, sweetie, it’s a hula girl, from Hawaii. That is where Mommy & Daddy went on their honeymoon, which is a big vacation after you get married.
Julia: I wanna marry you Daddy.
Daddy: That is so sweet, but I am already married to Mommy, so I cannot marry you.
Julia: Ok, then I will marry Grandma or maybe Grandpa.
Daddy: Grandma is married to Grandpa so you cannot marry either of them. You can marry one of your friends, like William or maybe Chase.
Julia: Umm. I think I will marry William. And we will dance together.
Daddy: Julia, that is so cute that you want to marry William.
Julia: Yes, uh huh, and I will have long hair like Mommy, and I will wear a long dress and we will dance together.
This whole conversation happened at 10 PM last night as Julia was sitting on the potty and Daddy was sitting on the bathroom floor.
Julia: Mommy, at school I made pee pee on the potty and they didn’t give me M&M’s.
Daddy: We just want you to always be happy Julia.
Julia: I am always happy Daddy. Except for when I am sad and cry. Like when Will pushes me or when I fall off the couch or if I hurt my foot.
Daddy: Yes, of course, it is ok to be sad and cry sometimes.
Julia: I am always happy when you come home Daddy.
This convo seriously happened and I think I am still crying about 5 hours later.
Julia: Thanks Daddy.
Daddy: Shirley
Julia: That’s not my name. My name is Julia.
Awesome!
Julia: My favorite color is red.
Grandma Laurie: I thought that your favorite color was purple.
Julia: I thought my favorite color is red.
Julia: I closed the door so Allie cannot get the pink ball. That’s the Deal!
Daddy: Let’s go downstairs… put Pinky back in the crib.
Julia: Can I just sit for one minute and hold her?
Daddy: You’re so smart Julia. Mommy is so smart and Daddy is so smart… that is why you are so smart.
Julia: That makes my heart feel better.
Julia (after watching Daddy kiss Mommy): Awww so cute!
Julia: Mommy works at a school, Daddy works in the city, Aunt Amanda works in the city.
Julia: I’m not a baby… I’m a big girl now.
Julia: I have such long long hair.
Julia (while looking at Mommy): She looks beautiful in that dress.
While listening to music in the car…
Julia: What’s this one?
Mommy: Elmo’s World (which Julia has beard about 3 billion times)
Julia: Oooh, We love this one!
Daddy: Alexa (best babysitter ever) is coming over tonight sweetie.
Later on…
Mommy: Mom and Dad are going out tonight.
Julia: Tan I Tum? (Can I Come)
Mommy: No Sweetie.
One Week Later…
Daddy: Alexa is coming over tonight.
Julia: Oh, I can’t tum.
Julia: (After brushing Mommy’s hair) “Oooh, you look so beauuuuuuuutiful Mommy”
Julia: “I have an idea. Let’s read one book downstairs”
Julia: “Wanna come play with me Daddy?”
Julia: (After hearing Aunt Ilene flush the toilet) “Bye bye Ilene’s pee pee”
Julia: “Excuse me Elmo” (as Julia brushes past him)
Hello Everyone.
As you can see from previous entries to this stories section, I am not very good at updating this section. I do not consider myself a blogger. I do update the main photo section of this site about twice a week so maybe I am a photo-blogger. Every once in a while I do feel that there is something I need to write here and now is one of those times. About a week ago, Julia started to have a little cough. Nothing that we worried about as she didn’t seem sick in any way. Last Sunday Julia woke up with a 101.5 fever, so to be safe, we canceled on going to Amanda’s 4th birthday party. The next morning, Julia woke up with a 103.5 fever. Mommy called the Dr and took Julia in for a 2:15 pm appointment. At this appointment the Dr diagnosed Julia with Walking Pneumonia and prescribed some antibiotics.
Later that afternoon, Julia’s fever jumped to 104.5, so Mommy gave her Motrin. After 2 hours her fever dropped to 103.5 and an hour later when I put her to bed, her fever was down to 102.5. Clearly Julia’s fever was headed in the right direction. Around 10 pm, I looked in her video monitor as I tend to do every once in a while. This time was different. I immediately saw that something was wrong and I said to Mommy that Julia was moving funny and that I thought she was seizing. We both darted up the stairs to find that she was in fact having a seizure. Mommy noticed a bit of frothing around her mouth while I noticed that Julia’s eyes had rolled in the back of her head. I quickly dialed 911 and told them that my baby was seizing and that I couldn’t tell if she was breathing. I explained everything in my frantic panicked voice and the 911 voice told me to get some towels wet with cool (not cold) water. He told me to place them in Julia’s armpits, back of neck and crotch. Very very soon afterwards the North Merrick Fire Department and Paramedics arrived. They took control of the situation and even though Julia was no longer seizing, they wanted to rush us to the closest hospital - Nassau University, as Julia was now grunting and in a catatonic state. Our sweet little puppy Allie was so frightened that she hid under the kitchen table. She sensed our panic and fears. I must admit that this was the scariest moment of my life and just writing this out has me near tears.
In the ambulance Julia called out for Mommy but quickly went back to her catatonic grunting state. The EMS gave Julia oxygen which quickly stopped the grunting. The North Merrick Volunteer EMS did all they could until we got to the hospital and I must praise them & the N Merrick FD. Once we arrived at the hospital (10:30 pm) Julia woke up and proceeded to cry. Even with ice packs all over her, the Drs measured a 104.7 fever in Julia. The Nassau University Hospital doctors did everything right and gave all of the correct antibiotics, etc, but I must say (and I mean no disrespect to anyone) that they did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to make Emily and I feel any more comfortable with the situation. They explained that Julia had full Bilateral Pneumonia (both lungs). They said that she had a Febrile Seizure and they took blood, xrays, etc. Not happy with the explanations I was getting, I called the emergency number for our pediatrician, Pediatric Healthcare of Long Island. The late night operator connected me to a Dr Fink of Winthrop Hospital in Mineola. Dr Fink spoke to the Nassau University Dr and confirmed for me that she was doing all of the correct procedures, tests and antibiotics. He also made me feel a billion times better by explaining Febrile Seizures in a way that the Nassau Unversity doctors could not.
Dr Fink continually used the work harmless. He explained that when a child between 6 month and 6 years of age has a very high fever or a rapid spike in fever it can trigger a Febrile Seizure. These seizures have no affect on development and do not lead to epilepsy or anything worse. My insane rambling fears of Julia’s brain frying were not a possibility. Dr Fink calmed Mommy and I. He talked with us for a long time and he continued to call back about 4 or 5 times during the night to have long in depth chats to help calm us. He explained that there are kids that have this many times in their life and kids that have this only once. He explained that in the 35 years that he had been examining kids, he had seen a bunch that had Febrile Seizures and he had probably seen even more kids that had them but never knew it. Many many kids probably have this in the night and just wake from it and cry and the parents never truly know. In truth, Febrile Seizures happen to 1 out of every 25 kids. It is usually familial but in some cases like ours, we do not think we ever had them when we were kids. Or did we?
At about midnight the doctors at Nassau University told us that they wanted to admit Julia so she could get fluids and treat the pneumonia. I said NO FREAKIN’ WAY and demanded a transfer to Dr Fink at Winthrop Hospital. At about 3:30 am, an ambulance arrived to transfer us from one hospital to another. Once at Winthrop, Julia was quickly wisked into her own private room because she was contagious. Soon after arrival Julia’s fever started to shoot up. She was burning up and had a terrible case of the chills. We knew she wasn’t starting to seize again as she’d stop shaking when we held on to one of her limbs but we feared that she would start to seize. Her fever shot up to 105 degrees but thankfully we didn’t have another seizure on our hands. Eventually Julia calmed a bit and allowed Mommy and I to get about 45 minutes to an Hour of sleep. The next day was filled with fevers and coughs. Dr Goldstein from Pediatric Healthcare-LI came by and reiterated everything that Dr Fink had said the night before. Harmless. No developmental issues. No frying brains. Tuesday night we slept but not well.
By Wednesday we were ready to get out of the hospital. Julia was keeping her fever down and Dr Lanzilotta of Pediatric Healthcare-LI got Winthrop to discharge us. By Thursday, Julia was feeling better but still not herself. The fevers were under control but her cough seemed to get worse and Julia’s immunity was down. We cancelled on the baby naming, anniversary party and 35th birthday party that we were supposed to attend to that following weekend and we also canceled camp for the upcoming week.
Remember earlier how I said that Allie was hiding under the table. Well, even though I came home to walk her and friends came by to let her out a few times, Allie persisted to eat nothing while we were in the hospital because she was so worried. The problem with this is that Allie has low blood sugar. So, the week from hell continued on Thursday night when Allie had a seizure. She has had a few in the past but none in the last year, since we found out she was low blood sugar. Yuck.
Everyone is ok now. Mommy and I have agreed to be very proactive with fevers and we will try to lower her temperature at first sign of a fever. I will still not be “ok” if Julia has another seizure but at least remembering the word “harmless” should help. If you read all of this, I encourage you to read a little more on Febrile Seizures as you can never be to sure that your kid will not have one.
Thank you very much to Grandpa Lenny and Grandma Laurie for helping us immensely that night. Thanks to all of the family that came by to visit us. Thanks to Elisa, Andy & Will for letting Allie out a few times. And, or course, thanks to our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc for all of the thoughts, prayers, cards, flowers, letters, emails, calls, messages, Facebook comments, Tweets, etc. We love you all. Lastly, I must thank and praise the North Merrick Fire Department who happened to be having a meeting at the time Julia Seized. Every member of the department was in when the call that a baby was seizing came through. The Chief immediately hopped in a vehicle and headed our way. One minute later the call was updated to be a baby possibly not breathing. At that point every member of the North Merrick FD got in cars and came over to help. Literally within 2 minutes, there was about 30 cars on our street of people there to help. Along with the N. Merrick FD, the N.Merrick/Bellmore Volunteer Ambulance, the doctors and nurses at Winthrop, Dr Fink from Withrop, and Drs Goldstein and Lanzilotta form Pediatric Healthcare-LI all showed me why they are our true heroes in this world. Thank you all.
