The Zoo

They say pictures say a thousand words. I hope so, because this is a picture post!

Family Pics

The Johnson Family

01.11.2010

On Monday we went to Sahuaro Ranch Park and had our pictures taken by Brittany. She did an AMAZING job!!

Thanks Britt!!!

Christmas

Christmas eve Bobby and I were up until 2am putting together the kids gifts. We didn't buy them small things this year. We had decided that we wanted to fix up there bedroom with toys that were durable and would last them. Last year we got them a toy kitchen from BigLots. It lasted 1 month. So this year we got durable thick plastic toys that would take them a little longer to destroy in hopes that it would occupy them enough to actually use the bedroom.

Bobby just wanted to put the big boxes next to the tree (they wouldn't fit under) and then he would put them together that morning. Now maybe if it were someone else I would have believed him. But knowing Bobby I made sure that we stayed up as late as we needed to make sure that it was done and ready for them the next morning. Besides, if they would have opened the huge box and just saw a bunch of pieces that didn't look like anything and liked the box more I would have been terribly sad.

Chloe decided that she was going to sleep in the couch so she could see Santa. It wasn't long before she was passed out on the couch and Bobby and I were bust at work. Chloe did wake up once in the middle of the banging and hammering. She sat straight up on the couch and said "I think I hear Santa".

The next morning we all slept in. When we woke up we got to call and talk to Pamella. It was so nice!! Chloe talked to her for a minute, told her she loved and missed her and asked Pamella if she was going to be her Easter present. I thought it was funny. She told Pam that she had to go because Santa brought her presents and she cant wait anymore. We let Sophie say hi to Pam next. I had been working with Soph to get Pam's name down!! And it was well worth it. She told her I love you and I miss you and some other things that I'm thinking were in a foreign language but that was okay because she got out the "I love you Pamella" and that was enough. I talked to her for a few more minutes and said out goodbyes. Then the girls and I went into the room to wake up daddy to tell him that Santa had come.

After they had opened all the presents under the tree I told them that I think Santa left them something in there bedroom. Chloe jumped up and yelled "what is it" as she took off running for her room. I tried to tell her to wait before she went in so I could get a picture of her excited face. Only, she didn't listen and she ran in. She was so excited. It was worth staying up those extra hours to put everything together just for her reaction. Moments like these remind me how lucky I am to be a mom.

After our excitement ran down we went to the Black's house. The girls made out! They each got the cutest outfit, PJ's, and dress up princess shoes. Grandma and Grandpa Black got them a wagon. After bobby got the wagon put together we came home to start cooking our Christmas dinner.

Bobby's mom and boyfriend (?) came over and had dinner with us. I made my dad a plate of food and took it to him in the hospital so he could at least enjoy some tasty food if he wasn't able to be home with us.

When I got back home the Elders were over. I offered them some dinner, they said that they had been to a handful of ward member's houses already and that they weren't really hungry, but ate anyway. Only, I think they became addicted to the ham sauce I made because they kept eating and eating and eating until they passed out. Literally!! After they woke from there nap and left the family and I turned on a movie and just sat in the living room. It was nice and relaxing.. and didn't take long for us all to pass out.

Since my mom wasn't able to make it over on Christmas day we went and visited with her the next day. She had tons of stuff for the girls and they had so much fun with her opening there gifts. My mom ordered pizza and the girls ate and had fun. They made out like bandits on Christmas with all of the gifts they got.

I love being surrounded by family. I am so grateful that I have such a wonderful support system here. The girls are surrounded by so much love and affection. We are truly blessed. I am so happy that I have the gospel in my life, just knowing that my family can be together forever is a wonderful feeling.

Sophie's 2nd Birthday

Sophie's birthday was the Wednesday before Christmas. Last year the weekend before Christmas we celebrated Sophie's birthday, but this year Chloe's surgery was the weekend before Christmas. Instead of trying to force Chloe into a celebration for her sister during her recovery, and for sanity sake of trying to plan a birthday party the week of Christmas, we decided simple was better.

Chloe and I went to walmart and I let her pick out cake mix for Sophie's cake. Chloe thought a pink cake would be perfect as she picked up a box of strawberry cake mix. She wanted her sisters cake to have sprinkles and balloons. Sprinkles, easy. Balloons?? on a cake?? That one was a little tougher.. As we were picking out the sprinkles Chloe noticed cupcake papers (those things you line the cupcake tin with) and they had balloons on them. She was sold. We were no longer making her sister a cake, we were making her dozens on cupcakes. As I was browsing the candles trying to decide if I should light 2 candles or get a number 2 candle I noticed the balloon candles. Sold. Sophie's balloon themed pink cupcakes were now complete with balloon candles.

We got home and Chloe was exhausted from the adventure to walmart so she and Sophie took a nap. I was going to make the cupcakes while they napped and that way when Chloe woke up she could decorate them. Only, I feel asleep too. I woke up to my sister calling for a ride home from work. So I woke up the girls, dressed them and drove out to the resort (which is so far away!!). Since we were already there, my sister and I took the girls across the street so they could pet the horses (to bad I forgot my camera). By the time we got home it was almost 6. I still hadn't made the cupcakes!!!

So I quickly threw all the ingredients together, mixed it, poured it, and baked it. While they were baking I started on dinner. Just as dinner was about to be served the cupcakes were done. I pulled them out of the oven and put them on a make shift cooling rake on our back porch so they would cool faster. By the time everyone was finished eating they were cool enough for decorating.

Since Bobby was at work, and it was just the girls, my sister and myself, I only decorated 4 cupcakes and set the rest aside for later. We sang Happy Birthday to Sophie, and enjoyed our cupcakes.

Chloe didn't want to eat her cupcake. She said it hurt her mouth. She was still kind of tired from all of her pain medicine. So I was happy that I at least got her to smile for me and take one picture before she put her cupcake away and went to bed.

Chloe's Surgery

Chloe had her surgery on December 17th. Exactly 1 week and 1 day until Christmas.

We woke up Thursday morning at 5am so we could be at the surgery center by 630. Chloe was calm, cool, and totally collected for a 3 year old that was about to go under the knife. I on the other hand was nervous, anxious, and terrified for my little ones. I knew that Chloe would be fine thanks to a blessing her uncle gave her.. I wasn't sure about me though. I should have asked for a blessing just for my nerves!!

We stopped at Aunt Ellen's house on our way. She would be there for support, more for me I think then Chloe. We made it to the surgery center with time to spare. Once inside Chloe was excited to see that there were other children there that would be having surgery too. Lilo and Stitch was on the television, there were crayons and coloring pages, and books and stuffed animals from home. She was content and I was shaking on the inside.

After she was registered we sat and talked. We sat there patiently waiting our turn for what was 2 hours but only seemed like minutes. When they called Chloe's name they told us that only 1 person other then myself could go back with Chloe in the pre-op area. Bobby went first while Ellen stayed behind.

We walked into a small room with a giant blue dentist like chair (without all the scary instruments) and 2 maroon chairs. The walls and cabinets were decorated in a "ocean" theme. There were dolphins, lots and lots of brightly colored fish, and other sea creatures stuck to the walls.

The nurses were nice and tried very hard to help me keep the now panicking 3 year old calm. If you didn't know Chloe you would think she was having an ADHD episode, but Chloe gets overly anxious and hyper in nervous situations and the nurses were very calm and patient with her. They gave us a gown with clowns on it, a hair net hat, bright forest green socks, and a dish to put her earring's in. Chloe was fine with the gown, and thought that the clowns were funny (have I ever told you I am scared of clowns!!!) but refused the socks and hair net. I didn't force them on her.. I was choosing my battles carefully and I knew there would be a bigger one soon enough.

Bobby started to get nervous, and Bobby is the type that lets anger show instead of fear. So when he noticed his face was starting to turn red (which didn't take very long), he went and traded with Aunt Ellen so she could have a turn with Chloe. Aunt Ellen has a special charisma about her. She is wonderful with Chloe. Shes actually wonderful with everyone. We took turns reading to Chloe, counting the dolphins and different schools of fish, we played the "I spy" game and did a pretty good job of keeping her distracted.

Doctor Rizzo was in and out in seconds. The OR nurse and Anesthesiologist came in next. The Anesthesiologist asked if I had any questions about the anesthesia. I said no, I didn't want to know how they were going to do it. I was afraid that I would get more nervous if I had to think of them putting my little angel to sleep. Chloe wasn't afraid of the Anesthesiologist, he reminded her of her Uncle Nathan. He had the same dark skin and similar features. She felt safe and confident in the fact that he looked familiar. The nurse started talking about going back and giving me the general surgery information that Dr. Rizzo had just went over. My little Chloe said excuse me to the nurse, to almost didn't hear her faint plea for attention. When she was finally acknowledged by the nurse, she asked when she would get her Popsicles. The nurse took Chloe's hand and started to walk towards the door and told Chloe that she could have any color Popsicle she wanted just after she talked to the doctor.

Before I realised it she was already gone and down the hallway. I didn't get to kiss her or tell her how much I love her and what a brave little girl she being. But I knew that it would be okay. I was happy that she left the room happy and distracted. I would have hated if I prolonged the good-bye and she really got nervous and I had to listen to them drag her down the hall..

When Ellen and I got out front Bobby was standing there pacing.. Unsure of what to expect or how long we would have to just sit and wait. Bobby needed a distraction, so we sent him to QT to get drinks. By the time he got back to the surgery center we had already been waiting about 15 minutes. Bobby was past his angry/nervous stage and had moved on to his more "relaxed" nervous stage which is stupid "worse case scenario" jokes. Yea, no thanks!

Finally the nurse came out and got us. Only 2 at a time so Bobby and I went first. Chloe was crying. I was so sad for her. My eyes teared up and it was taking all of my strength to be strong for my little girl. I walked behind the curtain and she cried for me to hold her. As I made my way around the hospital bed to the chair, my eye were glued on Chloe. Her hair was a mess, her gown was tangled up around her, a pink bandage was trying its best to hold her IV in her little hand, her face red and full of tears. I know she just had her tonsils removed but for some reason my brain wouldn't register that fact. I examined her, I counted fingers and toes, made sure her nose was still symmetric with her face, made sure her eyes were still blue. Maybe to you it sounds silly, and maybe it is. I know, I know, I know it was just her tonsils for crying out loud, but for some reason I thought she would look different, altered, like you would be able to look at her and know that this little girl just had a surgery and they removed a little part of her. But there she was in my arms crying her heart out as she came out of anesthesia looking just like my beautiful little girl.

As I held her she cried and asked my why I let her go with the "mean" doctor. I asked her why the doctor was mean and without a beat, through her alligator tears she told me how that mean doctor made her stop breathing. My heart melted for her. She cried for me to hold her, but I already was. The nurse came over to me and put her arms around me in an affectionate I know how you're feeling kind of way, and I just sat there and rocked my little girl. Bobby was starting to get anxious again. She was crying, coughing, hysterical really and there was nothing he could do. The nurse gave Bobby a Popsicle to try to feed to Chloe, but she wouldn't have it. He tried apple juice and water and she refused both of them. So he did the only thing he could, went and got Ellen.

We sat in the recovery area for about a half hour. We all kept trying to push the fluids. We weren't allowed to leave until she swallowed something. When she finally calmed down enough to speak coherently she asked for water. She drank about 5 sips which made the nurse happy. We struggled to get Chloe dressed and to the car. The more the anesthesia wore off, the calmer she became. Although, she couldn't figure out why her throat hurt. It didn't hurt before she went inside and now she cant swallow, and it hurts to talk.

She spent the next 4 days sleeping it off. Day 5 was Sophie's birthday and I tried really hard to get her up and moving with only 2 days left until Christmas. I started to see a little bit of Chloe coming out of her by Christmas eve, and by Christmas she wasn't back to her old self but she was more then half way there. Finally 9 days after her surgery she is back to her old self. Eating, drinking, playing, screaming, being a happy confident 3 year old going on 30.

Halloween 2009 -picture post.

H a l l o w e e n 2 0 0 9

Chloe as a Lady Bug

Sophie as Dorothy

Surgery.

We took Chloe to the ENT yesterday. He feels that the best thing for her OSA is to have a tonsil and adenoidectomy. Most doctors wont even do the surgery to kids that are under 4, but he really feels that this is the best thing for her. So we are going to do it. Really this isnt T H A T scary its like a 10 min procedure but it still scares the crap out of me! I mean they have to put her under, and it is still a S U R G E R Y !!!!!! Be strong Sarah!
I started to talk to Chloe about it a little yesterday. Nothing to dramatic or scary. Just that the doctor is going to make her throat better so she can sleep at night and wont choke. She asked me how, I said "magic". Ha. Any ideas on how to tell her or how much she should know??

<3