Labor Day Weekend

It was time for a little road trip this past weekend, to spend some time with Grandpa Joe, Grandma Bobbie, Uncle Chris, Aunt Jessica, and cousins Josh and Maya.  A great weekend filled with boating, beach time, swimming, a crab feast, and a birthday celebration for Grandma.

Aunt Jessica and Maya, ready for a boat ride

The little island we go to, only accessible by boat. The landscape there really change quite a bit from July 4th weekend, due to Hurricane Irene last weekend.

The boys made Grandma garden stones for her birthday.

laser fingers and crabbies

Saturday we journeyed to Maryland for the 7th birthday celebration of my stepsisters' son Trent.  The party was at a honest to goodness roller skating rink, straight out of 1981.  Logan didn't take much to the roller skating, he was much more interested in the arcade.  His game tickets won him these beauties.... finger laser lights.  Now that's disco!

The birthday party ended near dinnertime, and since we were so close to Annapolis already, we arranged to meet a couple of my dearest friends for crabs.  We went to Mike's Crabhouse, right on the water.  Growing up in Maryland, I spent a fair amount of time in Annapolis adoring the waterfront homes, eating lots of crabs, and loitering at the mall.  It was fun to take the kids and make some new memories, and on such a beautiful night!



Logan's sleep study results

Logan's sleep study results are in.  Very interesting stuff indeed. 

First, I love this doctor we've found. Thank goodness for honest to goodness doctors who take the time to explain things, take notes for you and follow through on all of your questions.  This pediatric sleep doctor we're seeing is just fantastic and I fully trust she is thorough and completely an expert in her field.  If anyone wants her name, just let me know.

The sleep study revealed that Logan has two sleep disorders:  Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD). 

The apnea is mild, and we'll be pursuing a possible tonsillectomy and possible adenoidectomy with our ENT.  Our ENT appointment is Septmeber 12th.

The more moderate disorder for Logan is the PLMD.  Normal involuntary leg movement is only up to 5 times an hour, Logan had an average of 23 movements an hour.  I was not surprised to learn this.  If you would see his bed in the morning, its always a twisted mangle of sheets and blankets. And if you sleep in the same room with him, you hear him moving around quite a bit.  I asked the doctor if this carried over to daytime living and kids being unable to sit still for more than a few moments at a time.  It definitely does.

So what do they recommend for kids with PLMD?  Many kids with this condition have an iron deficiency.  So simply adding an iron supplement to increase the ferritin levels.  It has something to do with dopomine levels in the brain, which are fueled by iron and ferritin levels.  If there is a deficiency, it can cause irregular limb impulses during sleep and a proper level of REM sleep is hard to reach.   

This lack of great sleep may very well be leading to behaviorial/mood issues and is most certainly the reason he is so tired during the daytime.  There is certainly a proven relationship between lack of sleep and ADHD kids.  Our sleep doctor has treated kids with PLMD by increasing iron levels, and ADHD behaviors have vastly improved.  

The first step with all of this is to have Logan's blood drawn next week, and a full work up looking for iron levels.  She also requested a look at his thyroid levels.  Thyroid issues exist in our families, and thyroid imbalance can also cause and/or lead to sleep apnea.  I have sleep apnea.  I have a thyroid disorder.  Its not surprising that one or both of our kids could have inherited some of this stuff.  Also, Logan has always been a very picky eater with limited foods he likes to eat.  So we need to make some changes to his diet.  If giving him an iron supplement doesn't decrease his PLMD, more serious medications might help.   One step at a time.

Surprisingly, breakfast cereal is high in iron. But kids have to eat it dry.  Once you add the milk, the calcium prevents your body for absorbing the iron. Also, don't buy OJ that contains calcium if you're trying to increase you iron levels.  Interesting, right?

If the bloodwork shows low ferritin of 55 or under, he will be put on an iron supplement and she'll recheck him at the end of November.  By then, his levels should start going up.

So, maybe we have another few pieces to the Logan puzzle.  Time will tell.   I'm sure we still have a lot to learn, but I know we're on our way.

Rebounderz Trampoline Arena

This place opened a couple of weeks ago near us, the first of its kind in all of Virginia.  I bought one of those Certifikid deals online before they opened, and the boys and I decided to go check it out this morning.

Whoa, is it cool.  I mean COOL.  Its a huge indoor warehouse space, with two giant trampoline arenas (one with a giant foam pit off the side), an expansive arcade, snack bar and lots of party rooms.   The staff was really cool and nice. They played with my boys and showed them some tricks.  I liked that it was really sunny inside too, you didn't feel holed up inside a video arcade.  It was also super clean, and the cafe looked inviting with good snacks.

They're big on safety there.   They of course made me sign a liability form, and took our photos for their system so next time we won't have to go thru those steps.   Then we all got special soft shoes to wear while jumping, and the boys got helmets as well. 

We were given a 'tutorial' by one of the coaches and then we were free to jump for our hour. I was thinking going into it that an hour didn't seem like a long time but I'm here to tell you, one hour of hardcore trampoline jumping is PLENTY.  They do have giant fans blowing down on you; if those weren't there you'd just die.

Also, a warning to women who've given birth.  Be sure to FULLY empty your bladder before attempting to jump.  Too much information?

You will be sweaty and thirsty immediately upon jumping, so hit the snack bar before you begin and keep your drink close.  They had benches outside of the arenas, but I didn't see any lockers.

The video games reward you with tickets and that gives the place a Chuck E Cheese feel (although on a scale of 1 - 10, Chuck E Cheese is maybe a 1, and this place is a 12!), as the boys were able to pick out prizes from the tchotchke bar at the end.    You have to buy tokens for the games and most things I saw took 2, 3 or 4 tokens per game.   They have skeeball, our family favorite!

It wasn't very crowded when we arrived, just a few other people.  But mid-morning things started to pick up and the staff was gearing up for some birthday parties later this afternoon.  I imagine they'll do really well once the cold weather arrives too. 

My boys gave it two thumbs up, we'll be back for sure!

bittersweet vacation

We just returned from a week at the family lake house in Lake Anna, Virginia.  As always, it was a week of fun, adventure, and together time.  Only this time, there was also a bittersweet tone to our week.  Unfortunately, the house is on the market to be sold.  To say we're all very sad about this is a huge understatement.   Its been on the market for a few months already, and since it hasn't yet sold, we were still able to go last week and enjoy a last vacation there.

For that, we're thankful.  But I'm very, very sad it will no longer be a family place for us to come together.  Our boys don't remember a time we didn't have this house.  Its been a wonderful gift for us all, and we're so very lucky to have had all the years we had there.

Before I get more emotional about it than I already am, I'll just let last weeks' photos tell the story. 

I know in my heart there will be many other family vacations.  But the memories from these past five years at Lake Anna will never be forgotten.