Internet Problems

Yes, Ayden is still at home. Yes, everything seems to be going well. The blog hasn't been silent because he's back in the hospital. It's been silent because our internet connection has been going in and out for several days, with most of the time it being out. (And when it's working, it doesn't last long. I tried to get this post up this morning and the connection cut out before I finished this paragraph). This is on my list of things to get fixed around here, so hopefully it'll remedied within the next few days.

So, please don't equate silence with Ayden being back in the hospital. Actually, posting from the hospital would be easier because of the dependable internet access.

Day Nine

Nothing involving the hospital (or even more generally, doctors) happens all that fast. This includes being discharged, which is what Ayden was today.

Organizing my Flying Pig Mail-- Thank you!

As I said yesterday, the only thing that had been holding him back was needing oxygen. Well, he passed the test last night and stayed off of it. This morning, the current attending cardiologist on the floor, who also happens to specialize in electrophysiology (someone who studies the electrical aspects of the heart) and who is very familiar with Ayden and his history, had taken a look at Ayden's heart rhythm from the preceding 24 hours. His analysis was that most of the time, Ayden was in a sinus rhythm, which is what we want. Even though Ayden's rhythm was still junctional at times, he was comfortable with what he saw. Given the attending's emphasis, I do have some (but not total) peace of mind about this.

I have found my left foot!
(but not my right... not yet!)

Regardless, the important thing is Ayden is home. He's currently trying to fall asleep in his own bed. I don't know if he's happy about that, but I am sure looking forward to sleeping in mine. (Allison was kind enough to let me get in a brief nap after we got home, but that's just not the same.)

We all get to go on wagon rides!

He's still prone to randomly getting upset, which is to be expected. However, he's already started talking more than he did in the hospital. At dinner, he started randomly pointing out and naming objects, which is what he normally does. He played with his blocks and his cars. He looked at some of his books. He walked around quite a bit. He even stood up on his own several times, which I know can't be all that comfortable for him (think about pushing off of the floor with yours arms a week after having your rib cage cracked open).

All of that is encouraging, but the best thing he has done since he got home was to show significant interest in food. He asked for several different pieces of candy. (He likes gnawing on Airheads. And before you think us bad parents, he doesn't actually eat any of it, though if he actually wanted to bite of a piece, chew, then swallow, I'd be all for it.) He then indicated he was hungry. For dinner, he went through at least two dozen cheese puffs (again, biting without eating), some pizza (ditto), a portion of a Gerber Grabber (actually consumed), and an eight ounce mixture of formula and water.

Jude, we are prayerful that your stay is short!

Not surprisingly, we were somewhat concerned about backsliding in the eating department after surgery. His rather consistent protests over the last several days didn't do much to assuage those concerns. Discovering today that he'd lost almost two pounds since the surgery didn't help, either. Although he's no longer underweight, he doesn't have a whole lot of reserves to draw on (Brogan, on the other hand . . . ). We are really hoping tonight is an indication that we won't backslide much, if at all. We'll be working hard to get him back up to his fighting weight. If we don't, by the time he's one, Brogan might outweigh Ayden.

Good times!

As I've said, going home is not the same as staying home. Please pray that we get to stay away from the hospital. Even though it was only nine days, they were a hard nine days for our little fire. In addition to the damage done by the surgery, all of the adhesives from dressings, leads, and the like did a number on his skin. Two of the leads pulled off today, which had been on for less than 24 hours, essentially burned his skin. We had to get a prescription for a topical cream that's used to treat chemical burns. In all, he looks like he's been in a car accident. Please also pray for a minimal amount of pain and discomfort during a hopefully quick healing process.

Time for some rest, Buddy!

Day Eight

Last Monday, Ayden went in for surgery. A week later, he's on the floor and working towards getting home. His pacing wires were pulled earlier today. An ECHO is always done four hours afterwards to check for effusions. Since he hadn't had one yet, Ayden's was a full, post-Fontan ECHO. Since I never heard anything to the contrary, I assume everything checked out.

"not happy"

He's been up and walking twice today. On the second one, he only complained towards the very end. It sure is a lot easier to help him with his jaunts when he's not tethered to an oxygen tank.

Nasal cannula is only there if needed.

Yes, he's currently off oxygen. Has been for several hours now. As I type this, he's (supposed to be) falling asleep for the night. The evening will be the real test as to whether he can stay off of the oxygen. We'll see what happens. At rounds this morning, the statement was made that oxygen is the only thing keeping him here.

Getting compliments on my hat makes me
stop whining only temporarily.

We've gone through this too many times to allow comments like that to get our hopes up, but it's a nice thought. We'll remain skeptical until it actually happens. Besides, going home is not the same as staying home. (A reminder of this we did not want or need: as of this afternoon, Jude is Ayden's next door neighbor on the floor).

Again, we'll see what happens. They've been fairly aggressive on the diuretic wean, which could easily come back to bite us. Or he could go back on oxygen overnight. Or his (still sometimes) junctional rhthym could do something funky (if you pray for anything, make it that, as his pacing wires are no more).

And thanks for all the prayers. We both slept much better last night.

"Weeeeee! More! More!"

Signing to his daddy that he wants "more"

I remember my mama telling me about how awesome it was to hear Ayden exclaim "weee" because he was having fun. Today the nurses and patients ON THE FLOOR (yes, he's been on the floor since yesterday afternoon!) got to hear Ayden's "wees" up and down the hallways, as his daddy ran him back and forth and all around. The wagon ride was sort of a reward for the hard work he was putting into walking laps around the floor (still under protest).

We are starting to see Ayden brighten up. He's talking more, smiling more, and occasionally laughing. Granted, it takes some work for us to see some happy moments, but some moments are better than none. One of his biggest frustrations is his nasal cannula, which is he constantly messing with. It still has .25 liters of oxygen running through it, which is very little, but Ayden hasn't yet shown he is ready for a wean.

I hate this thing!

Ayden's morning x-ray didn't seem much different to the team, but Bryan thought it appeared clearer. Ayden is still receiving CPPD for the lung collapse, and we are hoping that the walking regiments will assist his heart and lungs.

His heart seems to continue to fluctuate between junctional and atrial rhythms, so it is neither getting better nor worse. Cardiology doesn't seem to be in the least bit worried. Bryan and I aren't big fans of rhythm issues (based on Ayden's past history with them), but we want to trust the doctors.

Ayden got a bath in the bathtub today. I am told it was quite the ordeal. He got new leads and attachments and bandages, as well as clean clothing and bedding. I know he must feel better. He continues to drink well, and he communicates to his daddy when and what he wants to drink. He began eating some food today, so we are hoping his belly will tolerate that well. The doctors continue to wean diuretics and make changes to other medications. I think he'll go home on significantly fewer than he did after the Glenn. And... Ayden lost his foot IV, which means he has only the one left in his hand... which only flushes; it doesn't draw. This means that they have to stick him every time they want labs, which is usually every day. Poor baby!

The nights are rough for the boys. Neither is sleeping well. Ayden is sleeping in 45 minute increments, which means that Bryan is too. Of course, the hospital's constant interruptions don't help either of them get any rest. If I had a prayer request for them, it would be that they get a good, long, solid sleep.

Day Six

They found me a RED wagon,
so I didn't have to travel around in the pink one!

Ayden and I both had a better night, which is to say we both got more sleep. The PCCU isn't exactly compatible with rest, especially when Ayden's neighbor on one side screams pretty much whenever he's awake and the neighbor on the other side is (sadly) currently on ECMO (meaning the room is full of activity and people all fo the time).

Another positive development was my ability to get a shower this morning, my first one since Wednesday. (I'm resisting using the commuity shower until absolutely necessary; I might've had to pull the trigger today, but was able to use the shower in an unclaimed sleep room, instead.) It sure does make me feel better. I'm sure Ayden's nurses are grateful for my showering, as well.

Though he is still nowhere near his normal personality, Ayden does seem to be in better spirits this morning. He's talked more this morning than he has since Tuesday. He's playing a little bit. The IV in his foot stopped working and has come out, so I'm hoping to get him up and walking later today. Maybe that will add some sense of normalcy for him.

Rounds have already come and gone this morning. They included several familiar faces, including Dr. K and our favorite former NICU resident (and now cardiology fellow), English. Ayden's x-ray still showed a little bit of collapse, but overall it was improved. CPPD will now only be twice a day. We've scaled back on his pain meds and removed a diuretic.

Given the improvement in the x-ray and the apparent success of CPPD, he is now eligible to go to the floor. When that happens is entirely dependent upon room availability up there, which we won't know about until at least after the floor finishes its rounds. Even if a room does open up, I'm not sure that Ayden is first on the list, as I believe at least one other child is already waiting on a spot.

So, please pray that CPPD continues to cause improvement in Ayden's right lung, that he is able to get off the last little whiff of oxygen he's on, that his heart continues to progress back towards its normal rhythm, that the one remaining IV line continues to work for as long as we need it, and that a room on the floor opens up soon so that Ayden can start to feel like himself again.

Long Day

Most of us are tired. We aren't getting a typical night's rest, for one reason or another. We eat meals at crazy times, sometimes leaving food untouched for hours. Some people aren't taking showers (Bryan!). We lose track of time.

Such is the life with a child in the hospital.

I will say that Ayden is still doing quite well physically; in fact, as of right this minute (it could change the next), there is really nothing keeping him in the PCCU, except a lack of beds on the floor (which is a strong possibility). We will have a better idea if he is floor ready once we see his chest x-ray tomorrow; however, the doctors have changed his respiratory therapy from HIT to CPPD, also known as chest physiotherapy. HIT keeps you in the PCCU; CPPD does not. CPPD involves having the patient assume different lung drainage positions while the respiratory therapist performs chest tapping to loosen mucus from the bronchial tubes and lungs. With a good, effective cough, the mucus can then be expelled. CPPD also helps expand areas of the lungs, which is good for that tricky right lung.

Ayden has been coughing well today, perhaps a little too well. His coughing (and the mucous and blood that comes with it) is triggering his gag reflex and causing him to vomit. After several intense vomits today, we were surprised to hear Ayden ask for water this evening... and he has thus far managed to keep that six ounces down!

They pulled Ayden's last line, the IJ. He now has only two peripheral IVs, pacing wires, and the nasal cannula. He is receiving only a quarter of a liter of oxygen, which is significantly better than the 15 liter nasal hurricane he was getting yesterday.

Ayden did do some fun things today. The music therapist returned and brought Ayden a really cool light up ball. He has enjoyed the ball throughout the day, even laughing, smiling, and talking while playing with it. He especially likes throwing the ball away from us and watching us chase after it... one of his favorite games to play away from the hospital as well.

He also went on a wagon ride. He appeared very indifferent during the experience, but his numbers on the monitors were some of the best we have seen so far. For the first time, the doctors saw some atrial rhythms, which is super close to sinus rhythms, and we are praying for those! Throughout the remaining afternoon and evening, Ayden's heart has alternated between junctional (boo) and atrial rhythms (better!). In other words, it appears as though his heart is trying to correct itself.

I held Ayden while he got an EKG, and we later played some in the bed. He gave me some smiles and talked a little bit. For the most part, though, he's fairly emotionless, and it's difficult to see that happen to Ayden, even if we know it's only temporary.

I took pictures yesterday and today, but I didn't bring the camera home. I forgot other things at the hospital as well, so I'm sort of on a roll today. Like I said, tired. All of my boys are asleep, so I hope to do the same soon. I just need to finish up the vomit laundry... from both boys. Awesome.

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Day Five

The fifth day has started in a pretty good place. The HIT seems to be doing its job, as his nurse and respiratory therapist worked overnight on weaning him off the vapotherm. As of now, he is off of it and back on a regular nasal cannula, with no drop in his saturations. They tell me the x-ray looks better.

Ayden's heart has been sustaining a sufficient rate on its own, so he was disconnected from the external pacemaker overnight, as well. His rhythym is still junctional. He had been hanging out around the 110 range, although recently the rate on the monitor has really been bouncing around. The doctors say this is just because he's been having some early beats that mess up the way the monitor continuously calculates his rate. In other words, they aren't worried. Although I won't be completely un-freaked out until it is back all the way to normal, I do feel somewhat better, though I'd really like it to stop bounding around like it is.

He is still pretty mad at the world and lacks the interest to do much other than sleep. It's hard to see him this way and to feel like he blames me for where he is and how he feels. His personality can't come back soon enough.

He got what passes in the hospital as a bath this morning. He didn't really care for it, but there hasn't been very much that he has cared for. I'm going to take him for a (unfortunately very hot pink) wagon ride later today. I'm hoping that will lift his spirits some.

So . . . progress. Not as much, or as quickly, as I'd like, but progress nonetheless.

We're getting spoiled.

I am unwilling to say "cheese."

Both of Ayden's chest tubes are gone. They have begun to wean his Vapotherm (both oxygen % and flow). He drank 34 ounces of fluids (milk, formula, water, juice) today, which is only two ounces shy of his home regiment. He has not begun to eat yet, but we are thrilled with his liquid intake. Ayden loves the attending intensivist, Dr. Patel. Apparently Ayden was the most interactive and happy while playing with Dr. Patel. Ayden is about to get out of the bed for the first time to sit on his daddy's lap and learn to play with his new iPad. Then the kiddo is going to get in the bed for a much needed rest! Praise the Lord for all that He has done and will do!

Mom, stop taking pictures.

Feeling Better

Please don't think Internet silence means things aren't going well. We are having a harder time updating the blog now that we have a toddler in the hospital, instead of an infant. Plus, I'm commuting back and forth with Brogan, so things feel very busy and exhausting.

I have a lot of good news actually. No, Ayden has not moved out of the PCCU, but he certainly is jumping some major hurdles. The morning chest x-ray showed that Ayden still had right lung collapse, but the doctors felt convicted that he didn't have effusion issues of any kind... not even chylous! They did a quick ultrasound this afternoon to feel peace of mind, and they didn't see any major fluid concerns. In addition, Ayden's chest tube output has diminished significantly. The surgeon decided it was time to remove BOTH chest tubes! Removing the chest tubes will certainly help make Ayden feel more comfortable, and the procedure could help open up that lung.

They also turned Ayden's external pacemaker down to 75 heartbeats, instead of 125. He has been keeping his heart at 109, which is an improvement of approximately 20 beats from yesterday. It appears as though his heart is figuring things out and that his sinus node (and the area surrounding it), in particular, is healing from surgery. They will keep his pacemaker on as backup until they feel sure he can maintain an appropriate heartbeat without assistance.

Ayden is still on Vapotherm, but maybe after his chest tube pull, more HIT, and some rest, he will be able to take deep enough breaths to pop open his lung and improve his oxygen saturations. Full breaths will be needed to wean the Vapotherm.

He got his bedding changed, his mouth cleaned, and his shirt changed. By the end of the day, he should feel a bit better and a lot worn out. I got him to smile some this morning. I was acting like a total lunatic, but he liked it. Of course, the smiles didn't last too long. He insisted on showing me that he is still grumpy about the situation. I would be too.

"Oh, man!"

We have been hearing "Oh, man!" from Ayden a decent amount today. Now I'm saying it.

Ayden's evening chest x-ray revealed that his right lung looks slightly worse. As a result, they put him on Vapotherm, which basically gives positive pressure through a nasal cannula in order to open up Ayden's lungs. One cannot go to the floor on Vapotherm, so I'm hoping this is only an overnight situation. Please pray that the morning x-ray reveals clear and open lungs.

Since his right lung isn't cooperating, they decided not to take him off the pacemaker this evening.

Ayden has been pretty bummed all day. He has realized he's not going home anytime soon and that Mama and Daddy (and countless others) aren't coming to his rescue. He's in pain and not getting the greatest rest. He has proven that he is a fighter and that he is willing to do some things that don't feel very good right now, but please pray for his emotional and mental stability.

Bryan has remained in good spirits. Lung collapse and effusions are all things Ayden (and we) has dealt with before this procedure. In fact, he is in a better place after a few days post-Fontan than he was post-Glenn. I believe things will get better, but I also believe Ayden needs some time.

Yippee! Poop!

Bryan just texted me to tell me that Ayden had three poops (oh, the things we rejoice about in the hospital!), another session of HIT, a chest x-ray, and a visit from the surgeon's nurse to fix his chest tube. He drank some formula as well. Bryan said he seems in better spirits and will probably fall asleep soon after so much action.

Proud Parents

I was able to get to the hospital this morning early enough to participate in rounds. I guess the main things discussed were his chest x-ray and heart arrhythmia (called "junctional rhythm"). His left lung looks clear and healthy; his right lung, the same side as his diaphragm plication, looks cloudy and collapsed. To address the struggling lung, they have prescribed HIT (hyperinflation therapy helps inflate the lungs) and diuretics. (We are no stranger to diuretics or lung collapse/effusions! Ayden went home on three different diuretics after the Glenn!) They have also requested for one of the surgeon's nurses to come look at the chest tube that enters the right cavity. It is possible that the chest tube needs a little adjusting to properly drain that side; if so, that's a fairly easy solution (though painful one for Ayden).

Bryan, a nurse, and I held Ayden down while the respiratory therapist performed HIT. It was an unpleasant experience for everyone, though probably a productive one for Ayden. After Ayden received positive oxygen pressure, he gave the RT several good coughs that resulted in breaking up the gunk in his lungs. The RT then was able to remove the fluid through deep nasal suction. There were several "Oh, man" outbursts from Ayden during the process. Once she was done, she told him he was finished, and he pitifully responded, "Done!" accompanied by clapping and sign language for "all done." It was a precious response after something so traumatic.

They have had a little bit of difficulty managing Ayden's pain overnight and throughout today. He hasn't been as anxious to sit up today as he was yesterday, though he has done so to drink, to interact, and, very seldom, to dance.

The music therapist came in to entertain and cheer Ayden. He was a little loopy at the time, and he isn't all that cheerful in general. He was definitely trying to pay attention, and I know that he will find that type of therapy more interesting as he starts to feel better. The therapist said she would try to come three times a week, and she promised to learn some of his favorite songs on the guitar. She sang a Sesame Street book to him, and I had never seen anyone sing a book before. I'm in trouble if he expects that from me!

This evening they are supposed to try to turn off Ayden's pacemaker for a few hours. We are hopeful that his heart can find the appropriate rhythms and waves and conduction and... We are just praying for a good response from his heart!

As with any day in the hospital, there isn't much time for rest. People bother him all of the time, but I think he's handling it all fairly well considering he had his chest opened and his bloodflow rewired 48 hours ago. He continues to drink fluid well, and he is taking his medications like a champ. He even took potassium mixed with chocolate milk without complaint, and potassium is, by far, one of the grossest medications. We are so proud of Ayden. He is certainly doing his part to get healthy. His body just needs to cooperate!

In the waiting room, the grandparents have been entertaining Brogan. He too has experienced a lot of change over the past few days, and he has handled everything beautifully. We are also very proud of Brogan!

Please celebrate with us JUDE'S DISCHARGE from the hospital! PRAISE THE LORD! ONLY TEN DAYS!

To see pictures of a healthy Ayden interacting with his Gran, Grandad, & Daddy a few weeks ago, click below.

A Great Day

When I arrived at the hospital this morning, this is what our son looked like. I was actually thrilled. He has pink fingers, toes, and lips (I'm used to dusky); he was extubated (I'm used to a week or more of torture to get him extubated); he was on two liters of oxygen (he started out with four post-extubation); he had made efforts to sit up (and stand! Not yet, Ayden!); he had begun drinking water, and he was on different pain meds and had been weaned off other meds as well. It was already a good morning.

We call this pacifier "Faux Frank." He's not the original.

As the morning progressed, he wanted to sit up more and more, even if it meant falling asleep that way. He would complain the moment we tried to put him back on the pillows, so we often took turns holding him upright. Eventually we just added an extra pillow. He was crying (good for the lungs and blood pressure!), burping (get that gas out of his belly!), coughing (empty those lungs!), peeing (kidneys are working!), drinking (get those bowels moving), and sitting up (especially helpful for chest tube output and overcoming soreness)... all amazing things for healing. Ayden had a good morning.

By early afternoon, Ayden was waking up more often, taking notice of more people and things, and communicating his desires (watching Thomas the Train, drinking "more more" juice, etc.) and his dislikes (moving the pulse ox, not giving him more juice, messing with his lines and chest tubes, etc.). The doctors gave the go ahead for Ayden to eat or drink anything he wanted, and an order was put in for his formula, something we will tackle tomorrow. He had a line removed, a dressing changed, his IV fluids decreased, another pain med change, and he gave his "G," Grandad, and Daddy high fives... a good afternoon.

When I talked to Bryan this evening, Ayden had consumed more than half of his usual amount of fluids, and he had, at one point, entertained the nurses by dancing and singing to one of his favorite songs, "Determinate." They moved him to a different room in the PCCU, and he is no longer a one-on-one; instead, he shares Nurse Cari with another patient. He seems to have finally found a time to rest, so Bryan has gone to bed as well.

Today was a good day.

The major concern Bryan and I share is that Ayden is still having issues with his heart rate and P-wave. In other words, his rhythms aren't quite right, and some of his heart still needs to wake up a little. The clinical fellow messed with the pacemaker some this evening and determined that Ayden still needed it. No one medical is overly concerned yet, and the issue is not uncommon post-Fontan. I know that we would all just feel a lot better if he could overcome the problem ASAP. We are so greedy after a good day, aren't we?

Thank you for your prayers. We have felt encouraged and loved and supported. We have all been given tremendous Strength. Today wasn't a good day. It was a great one.

Day Two

Twenty-four hours removed from surgery, Ayden is doing pretty well. He was extubated at around midnight this morning and has stayed that way. To my untrained eye, his morning x-ray looked pretty decent, especially given he had really been on diuretics at the time it was taken. It's unquestionably a lot better than any of the first several x-rays after the Glenn. We've ditched some medications that would prevent him from going to the floor. He's been sitting up quite a bit so far today, which helps so many things. At one point, he tried to stand up, which, while admirable, isn't really helpful right now. He's even drinking water and water mixed with juice. (We've been taking it somewhat slow with the fluid, so he's been getting mad at us when we stop giving it to him.)

There are/were some issues, of course. His elecrtolytes were a little out of whack. His blood pressure hung out on the low end for quite a while yesterday afternoon. As usual, he's been hard to get comfortable. Most of these issues have been resolved. The one I find most troubling is an arrythymia "problem." I won't even bother to attempt to explain the nature of the issue because I don't understand this electrophysiology stuff at all. I'll summarize by simply saying his heart rate is lower than desirable because the rhythym is off. Given his history, this kinda sorta freaks me out, but they assure me this is common after the Fontan and is usually temporary. I truly hope they are right.

Again, though, there is very little to complain about, overall. He's doing some very positive things that not all kids will do this early after surgery. Most importantly, we are making progress. There's not much more I can ask for than that.

Fontan Update #6: Recovery Begins

After a wait that seemed like it lasted forever, Allison and I finally we able to go back to see Ayden. I was prepared to be really bothered by seeing him laid out on the bed, but he actually looked pretty good. He occasionally opened his eyes, probably mostly in response to our voices. They are talking about a goal of extubating tonight, mainly in the context of "we need to get ________ where we want it so we can hopefully extubate." For instance, his blood pressure was a little low, so they gave him some fluid volume. There are also giving him some electrolytes to hopefully bring them into normal ranges. Overall, I think they are pretty pleased with where he is, which means I am, too. The first step is getting rid of the breathing tube. Time will tell if he takes that first step tonight.

Fontan Update #5: Chip Off the (Not Yet) Old Block

Dr. B, Ayden's surgeon, came out and talked to me a few minutes ago. His part is all done. He said everything went smoothly. Based on what they can see (via and ECHO), Ayden's new circulation is doing what it's supposed to. It'll be about two hours or so before they get him out of the OR, up to the PCCU, and situated such that we can see him again. This is probably the worst part of the wait - knowing he's out but not being able to see him.

Regardless, I continue to be proud of my tough little guy. Let the (hopefully short) recovery period begin!

Fontan Update #4: Even a Small Amount of Water is Fun

About 15 minutes ago, I had a rather long conversation with the nurse who called with the latest update. Actually, it wasn't a conversation. Instead, it was her rambling on for what seemed like forever. The more she talked, the more anxious I got. I kept waiting for her to get to the bad part. When she had stopped talking, I responded as follows: "So, in summary, Dr. B is completing the graft and will soon ask Dr. K to take a look at what he's done. If she's good with it, y'all will start wrapping things up." She responded in the affirmative. I responded by thinking why couldn't you have just said that from the beginning.

At any rate, he's continuing to do well. The graft being referenced is the bridge I talked about here. Once that's done, and Dr. K is go with the result, they'll pull him off bypass and, if he responds well, they'll start winding up. So, this time the next update should be to that effect.

***

Since Ayden hasn't been able to make multiple trips to the pool, on several occasions I've filled up his kiddie pool and plopped him in the middle of it. He will play independently for longer in this than he will doing anything else. Allison gets a break from having two kids in the house and all I have to do is sit outside and make sure he doesn't drown or run off.