As we gear up for Thanksgiving, we've had some "fun" in our lives...Gabby was hospitalized on the 13th with severe dehydration! Only actually IN the hospital for about 14 hours. That does not include the 6+ hours in emergency!

Duncan was SUCH a trooper that day! Steve took Duncan out to Grandma's & Grandpa's house to play while he helped Grandpa set up his new computer. Duncan ended up only having about a 1/2 hour nap on the way up & 20 minutes on the way home. THEN, without even taking Duncnan out of his carseat, we popped Gabby into hers & rushed to emergency! Got there at 6:55 p.m. Duncan & I left to come home at 1:25 a.m. Monday morning. That whole time, Duncan just quietly played with his truck & school bus on the floor. Never a peep...except when they brought a gurney for him to sleep on! He thought he would be poked like Gabby was & screamed, then whimpered when he was on it! We left Steve & Gabby waiting for an ambulance to transport them to St John's Detroit pediatric unit!!! Gabby rather enjoyed the ambulance ride--they put her in her carseat & strapped that to the gurney. She got to watch out the windows.

At the hospital, Gabby didn't get to sleep till about 5 a.m. She & Steve got to sleep for about 2-2.5 hours. Breakfast was "clear" liquids. She had not vomited since about 10:30 Sunday night but after eating about 7-8 ounces of chicken broth and Gatorade, it all reappeared in about 45 minutes! OOPS! too much! Tried again with 2 sips of Gatorade at about 10:50, it reappeared at 10:54! Gabby went back to sleep and Steve took Duncan back home for more rest. I stayed with Gabby. Gave her ice chips starting at 1--they stayed in. YIPEE! Then more & more...at 2 we were allowed to start applesauce. By 4 she was done with the cup & it all stayed in. We were discharged at about 4:20.

One of the fun parts of the hospital stay was that Gabby got a gift bag & craft stuff from "Queen for a Day" volunteers! They said she might be posted on their website: http://www.detroitqfad.com . It would be under "events" on November 13th if she gets posted! Gabby got her first Barbie doll from them--she smells like coconut sunscreen!! She went to sleep Monday night clutching her around her neck! Very cute! Also got a tiara, nail polish, lip gloss and a couple projects to do. It helped Gabby feel much better.

We don't plan to return to preschool till after Thanksgiving. Last week there were only 2 days and this week there's only 1--so not a BIG loss! Had Gabby's first parent/teacher conference last Friday & got her report card. She's doing well--especially considering her "bullying" start! She is now good friends with the boy who bit her! She hangs out with Kamisha, Alana, Miriam and Alberto. She is also starting to tell me about stuff that goes on--Like, "Mama, Savio no stay in line. Savio dance!" The good dirt! We are seeing if the school system will get a full-ring toilet seat for Gabby's room. Her little bottom goes right between the openings on the open ring seat and it scares her! (Probably pretty cold too!) We've talked to 2 secretaries, a janitor and the principal as well as Gabby's teacher. Maybe this will help!

Duncan's "classic" phrases continue to come out--on a recent shopping trip for veggies, "Broccoli do green" was quite a crack-up! As well as "Duncan do happy" and "Duncan do sad" during Gabby's hospital stays. He skips everywhere now--I'm thinking of giving him the nickname of Skippy...I'm not sure how good "Skippy Smith" would be when he gets older tho!

Thanksgiving dinner will be here--on the NEW table & chairs! Amish built & delivered...OK, delivered by friends of the Amish! The table is great--with 2 self-storing leaves. We got 4 chairs and a bench. Gabby's comandeered the bench, Duncan has a chair. The kids don't need their boosters--so they are quite happy! Turkey-Day dinner will be brined turkey (16.44 pounds), garlic mashed potatoes, wild rice stuffing, Salmon dip and a strawberry pavolva--all provided by us. And butternut squash, cran-apple-pear relish provided by Steve's parents and rolls, cut up veggies and pumpkin pie provided by my mom! Think it will feed 7 people???! I hope so!

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Blessings.....