What a Nasty Virus!

This past week I have been taking care of a really sick Kiefer. He had Fifths Disease! I noticed last Saturday night that Kiefer had a red, raised rash forming on his left upper arm. He woke up Sunday with a rash on both arms and a low grade temp... about 99.8. He was very lethargic and just wanted to lay in bed or on the couch. Throughout the day on Sunday the rash spread down his arms and to his hands. He threw up in the night on Sunday and was very itchy. Monday the rash spread to his legs and feet. Tuesday the rash spread to his butt and lower torso. It never reached his upper body or face... although his checks were pretty pink. He maintained a temp (99 or 100 degrees) for about 5 days and stayed on the couch for the majority of this time. He scratched his "itchies" so hard that he has scratch marks all over his body that have scabbed up. Some of them bled! Kiefer didn't have an appetite at all... but did a great job of drinking fluids. He lost some weight for sure.

Even today, Saturday, he still isn't himself. He is still weaker than normal and doesn't have much of an appetite. He also has swollen and achy joints... specifically his ankles and has a hard time walking. This is something that is common in older children and adults after getting over fifths disease. Don't know why Kiefer is having these symptoms... but I guess he had EVERY SINGLE OTHER SYMPTOM that goes along with Fifth's Disease. Why not this one? :( The achiness and swelling should go away in a week or two.

Poor guy! He is very whiny and wimpy at this point. I am still babying him because I know he is in some discomfort. I carry him a lot... which I won't be able to do as much in the next month. Please pray that Kiefer is back to his old self soon. And also that the rest of our family doesn't develop it. Fifths Disease can be pretty serious in pregnancy. Most adults are already immune to it because they have had it once in their life and didn't realize it. Yes, most kids breeze right through it with just a rash for a couple of days. Kiefer got it pretty bad!

Just want to say "Thank You" to my friend Melanie... who drove the kids all last week to school, kept Krue a little longer each day, and brought me beautiful flowers to brighten my week. What a great friend!

This picture was taken on the 4th day. His eyes were incredibly bloodshot!

This is what the rash looked like all over his arms, legs, and torso.

Kiefer's Library Storytime

For the entire school year I have been taking Kiefer to library storytime on Tuesday mornings. I did this for Krue and loved the special time with each of them. It is fun because Mel and Graham are in this storytime... along with a couple of my Bradley moms and their boys.

Kiefer had his storytime graduation a week ago and Lee came with us to help Kiefer celebrate.

Kiefer was so excited to have his Daddy there.

One of the activities they do every week is to take turns putting different colored kites up on a felt board while saying a poem. Kiefer was always a perfectionist when it came to this. He had to have his kite just right.

Another fun thing... blowing bubbles at the end!

Neal and Lee helping Graham and Kiefer blow bubbles.

Kiefer, receiving his diploma from Miss Amanda.

An attempt at a group shot :)

Fun snacks and drinks to celebrate!

This little boy at the end is one of my Bradley babies. Love him!

Mel, getting a shot of Kiefer and Graham.

Lee and Neal hanging out at the party.

7 Months Pregnant!

I am about 30 weeks pregnant! I am getting really excited because I am about to pass the dreaded "31.5 week mark" (how far along I was when Kiefer was born) and I am feeling really good. The baby has lots of room and I don't feel uncomfortable like I did with Kiefer at this point. I have been getting really tired in the afternoon and almost always need a little catnap in order to function for the rest of the day. My belly seems to be getting bigger by the minute! Our air conditioner broke and today was the first day that I experienced being pregnant on a hot day! Let's just say I am calling tomorrow to get it fixed :) I can't imagine what it will be like when it gets into the 90's! Oh well, I'm still loving being pregnant and feeling the baby move all of the time. I can tell he/she is getting bigger and stronger. Still don't have a feel for the sex of the baby... I go back and forth. The heart rate at last week's appointment was in the 150's. I am already in love with this little one!

Buddies

I took this picture today while the boys were absorbed in a good book. Krue had fun showing shirtless Graham and Kiefer the pictures in his new truck book. Too cute!

Kiefer's First Visit to the Eye Doctor

Last week I took Kiefer in for an eye exam. I have been curious to see if he needs glasses like Krue. Lee and I could tell he had pretty good vision before even going in because he sees everything... far and near. Kiefer did such a great job and had fun sitting in the big exam chair, looking at all of the pictures, checking out all of the important equipment, and talking with the eye doctor. I was impressed for a three year old!

Great news... Kiefer has 20/20 vision. Yay! (Kiefer cried when he found out he wouldn't be getting any glasses. He wanted to have glasses "just like Krue" so bad!)

Kiefer, looking very proud.

I set up an appointment for Krue on the same morning. He needed an exam done for kindergarten. Let's just say he is an old pro at this. He even got his eyes dilated without any complaints.

Not so good news... Krue is a +10.50 in both eyes! Poor guy. He really needs his glasses to see everything correctly. It is amazing that I can have one child with 20/20 vision and one with very bad vision.

Here is Krue at his appointment...looking like "no big deal". He has been doing this twice a year since he was 2!

Birthday Celebration for Myah!

Last Saturday Lee and I were invited to a 30th birthday party celebration for my dear friend, Myah. We had a really nice dinner at Biaggi's... and it was super fun because the girls all sat at one end of the table so we could talk, while the guys sat at the other end so they could talk. The food was fabulous and Lee and I had so much fun chatting with everyone.

The Ladies

The Gents

After dinner, Josh suprised Myah (with Tyson and Greg's help) with a limo! The limo drove us around town and then to Columbia Street. Myah was completely caught off guard. She knew about the dinner, but had no clue about the limo!

Josh and Myah enjoying the limo.

Tobie and I in the limo having fun!

Some of the best women I know! Had so much fun with you all... even though I didn't last past midnight :)

Happy 30th Myah! Love you.

Easter 2009

Coloring Easter Eggs

Nagel Family Easter

(Missing Beth, Sara, Scott, Amy & Jeff, Cindy, & Parker)



Easter Morning

My Two Handsome Boys

Ready for Church

Easter At Mamaw's House

It's hard to believe that there will be three Easter baskets next year for our kids! So much fun.

Our Disney Vacation!

We had an amazing time in Orlando with my family on our "Disney Vacation". Lee and I are so greatful to my parents for providing condos for our entire family and giving us the opportunity to spend wonderful family time with everyone. It was also very nice to spend some quality time with the boys before Baby #3 arrives. Between my mom and I, we took sooo many pictures that I decided to put them into a slideshow. I posted the slideshow at the top of my blog. Enjoy the fun!

A Construction Birthday Party!

On March 7th we had a "Construction Birthday Party" for the boys. We were celebrating Krue's 5th and Kiefer's 3rd birthdays. It was such a fun party! We tried to set a "summer mood" by grilling hot dogs and hamburgers & making a summer salad. The boys had so much fun opening presents... and the weather was so nice that we were able to go outside and try out some of their fun toys! Everyone enjoyed being outside and goofing around. Krue and Kiefer loved it when everyone sang "happy birthday" to them and then blowing out their candles. We invited some of their Auburn friends over (Lauren & Graham Blythe, Ian & Anna Heath, Livia and Reece Lindblom, and, of course, Ella and Parker Nagel) for cake and ice cream and games. It was a big day... but one to remember! Enjoy the pictures ~ slide show style.

(There are two slide shows. You can click on each picture to get a closer view. It may take a little time for the pictures to download.)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook Make a Smilebox scrapbook

A First Glimpse of Nagel Baby #3...

No, we aren't having twins : ) There are just two pictures of the baby's profile on one sheet.

The ultrasound went great today! Everything looks really good... baby's heart, structures, head... perfect! The ultrasound showed that the baby is using my entire uterus as he/she grows (Yay!) and the placenta has implanted on the top of my uterus. All of this is good! The baby was folded in half during the ultrasound... head, feet, and hands were right by each other at the top of my uterus and then butt was down. Since I am only 25 weeks, the baby has plenty of time to move and rotate into a better position. It was pretty cute to see him/her in this position, though.

Lee, Krue, and Kiefer accompanied me to my ultrasound. They thought it was pretty cool! Lee was trying hard to see if he could sneak a peek to find out the sex of the baby... he didn't see a thing (the ultrasound tech was very good at keeping this from us) . Kiefer thought the gel was the coolest thing about the ultrasound (he had a hard time picking out the features of the baby on the monitor) and Krue had a ball pointing out the baby's face and heart every time they would pop up. It was fun having all of them there.

Mother's thoughts on the ultrasound: I immediately thought boy (although I think all ultrasounds like this make the baby look like a boy) and the baby definitely has Krue's profile and nose.

What do you think?