2023 recap // Elliott update

 * I started this in mid December* 😂

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, happy new year to all! I haven’t been super active on here but it’s part of my plan for 2024! I love looking back on it and it’s nice to take the time to reflect and write down the day to day as it changes few so quick and times goes so fast!

January : 

Tom’s birthday! We had a fun date night out axe throwing with some friends! We also got our house re-painted inside! So many marks on the walls and actually got non flat paint! Really made a difference!! Celebrated a late Christmas with Tom’s mom’s side, and we hosted! It was a fun celebration and nice to see everyone. Unfortunately, after that many of us got Covid. All 5 of us tested positive.. quarantine crew! I also joined a winter bowling league with some girlfriends on Monday nights, such a fun thing! 

February: 

Elliott, Sam and Molly are FOUR! had a little family celebrating with a paw patrol cake, pizza and balloons and they were so pumped! Tom, the kids and I did a one night staycation at a local hotel with a water park!  A few weeks after we left for a family vacation with my parents to San Diego! We didn’t have the best weather, unfortunately but we had a great time! Sam especially fell in love with sea world, whales and all things sea creatures and asks frequently if we are going back :)  Sam, his cousin Jayke, Tom and Papa went to Monster Jam in Mpls! 

March : 

Sam got his tonsils, avoids and tubes put in. I was nervous as the last time he had surgery was his kidney but this was super easy and he did great! Elliott was diagnosed officially with autism, after a long time on the waitlist.  We had been working on the process for a long time, and knew but needed the diagnosis to get other supports in place. We are so glad he’s made some great progress and have had access to resources that have really helped him. We all ended up with strep and flu at the end of the month and it was absolutely miserable!! 

April: Easter! I honestly don’t remember anything memorable that happened this month, ha! 

May: last day of school for the trips till the summer session started! I did a girls weekend at my fellow triplet mom friends cabin over Mother’s Day weekend! On the last day of school, Elliott had an appointment with a neurologist and we got the rug pulled out from under us with a diagnosis of epilepsy… I updated more on the bottom of this post on that. It took me this long to even put together the words to describe this whole journey.

June: summer session of school started! Woohoo! Fun to keep our routine going. We spent a lot of time swimming, and lots of popsicles also ;) Tom and I went to the Rebelution concert at the end of the month, they are so fun live! 

July: 4th of July! Fireworks and fun with neighbors, and again lots of swimming with the fam! Elliott learned to swim pretty much on his own without a life jacket… Still makes me nervous but he’s doing great! Kids started a sports sampler class at the YMCA and let’s just say Molly probably won’t be a sports star ;) they did two weeks of each sport, track and field, basketball, soccer and t ball. Super fun to watch! It was mostly outside and we had some really hot days! Triplets also started gymnastics at RHS! 

August: unfortunately, my grandpa George passed away after a short battle with glioblastoma. Such a terrible disease. He was my last remaining grandparent. He lived a long, full life with lots of love ❤️ Deeds met him in heaven ❤️ spent time with the McPhillips family. Elliott’s story was featured on WCCO! The triplets and I were interviewed/filmed about finding resources for kids with development delays. It was a story highlighting Fraser and how much of a difference early intervention makes. Super fun experience. Tom and I got a date day in at the state fair, on another hot day. Met the triplets new teachers, they are all in the same class this year! Last year of pre-K!! 

Sept : 9 years of marriage for Tom and I. Celebrated with a trip to the TI amphitheater for the trampled by turtles concert! School started and our schedule switched up, we had afternoon class! Celebrated my cousin Jay’s wedding ( a little too hard!) out of town. My dad was the officiant and it was so special.  Great time with the McPhillips family! I joined the early childhood family services parent advisory council. Fun to meet some new faces and get more involved in the kids school/district 196. 

October : kids were very excited for Halloween and we had a great time trick or treating with our neighborhood friends. Our neighborhood is so great for Halloween, thankful for all the fun we have here. Elsa, the blue ninja turtle (Sam) , and mighty Marshall (E) were great costumes! Did a trick or treat indoor event with friends and that was super fun! 

November: my birthday! Tom had hernia surgery, went well and he recovered quickly. Thanksgiving at my parents! 

December: kids were super pumped coco the elf came, and lots of Santa talk! Did a few events with friends and had a great Christmas. Hosted the Glenn’s Christmas Eve and saw the McPhillips Christmas Day. 

Elliott - 

Haven’t shared much on here about the journey we’ve been on with as this year, and mostly because I didn’t feel ready to put it all on paper. I am not even sure what I am going to say, but I’ll try to make my thoughts clear ;) 

End of Feb I got a call from his teacher that something odd happened, they believe he had a seizure at school. He was staring off into space and they were unable to get his attention. Once he came to, he was angry and shortly after fell asleep on the bus ride home. We didn’t know what to do so we called his ped and brought him to children’s. By this point he was acting completely normal, so they didn’t do much.. but did refer us to a neurologist to get an EEG. Honestly we didn’t think too much of this as we were in the thick of the autism diagnosis. We didn’t get in to the neuro till end of May. During this time we didn’t notice anything unusual. I actually almost canceled the neuro appt… it was on his last day of school and I really thought it was going to be a waste of time. Thank goodness something in me decided to keep the appointment.. his EEG was abnormal and showed he was having multiple seizure “episodes.” He actually fell asleep during the EEG and it was happening while he was awake AND asleep. Gahhhh. Because of this abnormal EEG and the episode the school had observed, epilepsy was diagnosed and he was immediately put on a high powered anti seizure drug. It was a complete whirlwind. With him also having autism, it is a puzzle to figure out what is going on. After being on the med for a few months we went back to the neuro to do a follow up and then it was suggested we do an extended EEG to determine if he’s having seizures, what they look like, and triggers. After 24 hours It was determined that what we thought was a seizure (5-10 seconds of staring episodes) are not. This could be an autism tick, or just nothing. However, the EEG was also abnormal still, with the seizure sparks happening (several an hour), but no physical outward signs. At this time we are going to continue to monitor him and absolutely continue the medicine. He is also encouraged to continue his autism therapies as keeping him calm and working through his emotions is helpful. The medicine has some emotional side effects that we don’t love but we are working on that! The med is stopping the seizure sparks from becoming a larger seizure, so it’s so important he stay on it and we know that it is working.  We are also following up with genetic team at childrens for more testing. The few tests we have done have not resulted in anything significant. So, that is Elliott’s epilepsy journey so far in a nutshell. 

2024 will bring big changes to the household! kinder in the fall!! So many emotions with that and I’m sure as it gets closer we will feel them all. In a few weeks the triplets turn 5 and we are going to celebrate big time at Disney world!