Late Breaking News

What kind of blogger am I? I call my site the "daily" Lois and then can't be bothered to update it for weeks at a time. I have numerous, varied, valid reasons for the delay in this post - many of which will be explained here in detail. Suffice it to say that life in the Hogan household is never dull.


This bit of sweetness is O - Auntie Gina's daughter. O was born about 6 months before Andy and has been part of our family her entire life. Poor thing didn't really have a choice. On Halloween, O had her adenoids removed and tubes put in her ears. As miserable as surgery is for a kid, schedule said surgery on Halloween day and see what kind of reaction you get. Luckily, O was able to go trick or treating with her cousins who live in a neighboring town and had Halloween festivities the evening before. Otherwise, we could have all nominated Auntie Gina for the Spoil Sport Mother of the Year award. In typical O fashion, she went and had her surgery and came home and lounged on the couch and was eating Whoppers when the Ya-Ya and Pops dropped by to see her. You've never met a kid who is able to go with the flow more than our O. Glad you're adenoid free now, *OBG.

* When O was born, her parents started calling her Baby Girl. Jay and I kind of adopted that nickname for Lois. So now O refers to herself as the "Original Baby Girl" - or OBG for short. She's a clever one, that O.



Speaking of tubes, Lois's tube saga is continuing this coming Tuesday when yet another ENT will attempt to get tubes in her ears. You'll remember back in September Lois was under anesthesia for 50 minutes and Dr. G wasn't able to get the tubes into her tiny little ear canals. Since then, I've been subjected to a constant run around from doctors who are willing to see Lois, but don't have available appointments for 2 months. Lois can't hear well, and it's really affecting her development. She's doing so well with her gross motor skills, and fine motor skills, and even with problem solving. But if it involves communication, which indirectly involves hearing, she's stuck back at the 4 month level. I feel like my pleas to correct this situation as soon as possible fall on deaf ears. (no pun intended) No one else seems to share my sense of urgency. Except my new hero - Dr. Kraft. She, as usual, made things happen - and Lois is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday with the understanding that if this doctor isn't able to get the tubes in, Lois will be fitted for bone conduction hearing aids. Can't wait to see what happens with the girl when she can suddenly hear the ridiculous noises her father and I have been making at her for months. I can just imagine the look of fear on her face.

I'm sure you all will remember when Lois had her G-tube. It was removed way back in March, but dealing with all of those feeding issues have left definite scars - on Lois and her parents.


Our sweet friend Maddy (check the new glasses!!) is now the proud owner of one of these contraptions - and like Jay and I, her Mom and Dad are thrilled it's there , but at the same time, wish like hell she didn't need it. Yesterday, Kimy was running into the drug store with Maddy, and when she lifted her out of her car seat, Maddy's feeding tube snagged on the seat and the entire button was yanked out of Maddy's little body. What's holding that button in place is a balloon filled with saline that sits inside Maddy's stomach. When it's time to remove the button, you simply deflate the balloon through a valve on the button and yank it out. Maddy's came out with the balloon still inflated. My friend Kimy had the presence of mind to deflate the balloon and simply stick it back in Maddy. Unbelievable. I would have been on the ground screaming for help. You can read the entire story on Kimy's blog - there is a link on the sidebar. When I heard the story last night I sat a cried for my friend, for poor Maddy, and for Lois and I. Sometimes it's easy to fall into the "why MY kid?" mindset. You should all be in awe of my friend's bravery, quick thinking, and devotion to her child.


Here's a collection of Lois bathtub photos - taken in poor light and not yet photoshopped. The Pioneer Woman, my favorite blogger, has a photography section on her blog where I get most of my limited photoshop knowledge. She suggested this week that all of her photogrpahy disciples try holding their cameras on a slight tilt to make a good photo even more aesthetically pleasing. You can see I take my photography assignments seriously.

As we come to the end of this Hogan family news update, I'll fill you in on the biggest piece of Hogan family news. Lois is going to be a big sister in the spring. How's that for a shocker? Jay and I wanted very much to give Lois a sibling for a variety of reasons. One - we want to know that someone will be here to watch out for her when we are gone. Two - Lois is still at a very increased risk of developing leiukemia. We will be able to bank this baby's cord blood which could someday save Lois's life. And three - it will be really beneficial for Lois's development to have a "normally" developing sibling in her home. And the closer in age the better.



Were we prepared to have them be THIS close in age? Uhh...no. Are we scared to death at the prospect of having 2 children under the age of 2 in our home. Uhhh. YES. But are we totally thrilled that there will soon be another Hogan in this world. Absolutely. Aren't you? I'm sure Lois would be if she knew what the heck was going on. All she knows is suddenly Momma and Lois are napping together every afternoon.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that we are having another child simply to aid in Lois's development and to solve a potential health crisis. Not true. But it certainly made the idea seem a whole lot more valid. In the end, I hope that what we are doing is giving the gift of a sibling and friend to Lois. And making a gift of Lois to our unborn child. And that is quite a gift.