So it is difficult to keep up with the James' when the James' don't post blogs. I apologize maybe I should rename the blog Where have all the James' gone. Now I have "Where have all the cowboys gone" stuck in my head.

Well the James' are still here and really nothing new or exciting has happened since I last posted. We were healthy which I guess is new. Gavin has a cold and a cough again but I attribute that to being a toddler. Gavin climbs now on everything. I go to the gym and put Gavin in the daycare there and they are constantly saying how he is everywhere literally high and low.

A few examples...




Whats new with Mike?

Well he painted our bedroom and has been busy putting more balance between work, home and trying to cut back on travel which is taxing to our family. We haven't been to Missoula for a few weeks now.

I meant to take a picture of the room but I got Gavin instead. You can kind of see the color of the wall and my new bedding.


What have I been up to? Busy working hard at training for a sprint triathlon (which is in July) and losing weight probably more to do with chasing my ever busy son than anything. The total so far is 58lbs. I would like to say that most of that was baby weight but we all know that isn't true.

I hope you are all well and I will try to post more picture when my son isn't lifting my shirt to kiss my belly.

My Scariest Moment...

Gavin has been sick off and on for what seems like forever and I was starting to get frustrated after what was about a week of a virus that struck all members of our household and what seems like the entire Northwest. I thought we had seen the worst of it when Gavin got a fever on Monday. I didn't think much of it by the time your child reaches 15 months and has been sick with a fever a few times you start to relax give a dose of Tylenol and/or Motrin and keep going. We ran out of Motrin and it was a close call at 7:30 or 8 when I checked his temp (102. 7) as to whether I could safely give him another dose of Tylenol so I waited patiently for Mike to bring back some Motrin. Gavin fell asleep in my lap at 8:15pm. I decided sleeping was good for him and I would wait and if he woke up in the night I would give him a dose of Motrin.

Mike and I were up later than usual and Mike had received a call at about 11:00 from a friend in need. At 11:10pm both Mike and I heard a loud and very bizarre gasping sound coming from Gavin's room. We both rushed in to find him convulsing and his limbs very rigid. I had heard of this happening to children when their fevers spike but I had never seen anything like it and nothing will prepare you for how shocking and scary it can be as a parent. I rushed him out into the hall on the floor while Mike called 911. The seizure lasted about 4 minutes and within 7 minutes 2 fire trucks and an EMT vehicle were parked outside and 10 - 12 emergency workers filed into our living room. Gavin had stopped seizing but was glassy eyed and not moving but breathing. Soon he started crying which put the emergency workers at ease. I was told to give him a dose of Motrin and given the option of a ride in the ambulance or drive to the ER. We opted for what would put Gavin more at ease, driving. We decided to pass the Valley Hospital which I am sure is a fine place but we were told that Sacred Heart has a pediatric ER which would help us be seen more quickly.

The drive to hospital seemed 10 times longer than the same trip we made a little more than a year ago to deliver Gavin. When we arrived we were asked to fill out the necessary paper work and shown quickly back to a room. The initial temperature, questions and monitoring were being done when we turned to a friendly voice. Mike had quickly ended the phone call he was on to call 911 and after prayers on Gavin's behalf our wonderful friend grabbed the much needed Starbucks and headed to meet us at the ER. I should mention I had taken a NyQuil right before all this happened, Starbucks was needed and if you know me I am not much of a coffee person but I was more happy than I have ever been at the sight of Starbucks.

We were moved to a more permanent room and while waiting for the doctors to come we visited with our friend that we hadn't seen in a while. We were quickly informed by the nurses that we were being called the "Happy" room since we were all talking, laughing and joking. After 31/2 hours and a few tests (including a catheter for poor Gavin) we were released from the hospital. Arriving at home with a very sleepy toddler at 3:30am.

Gavin had what was called a Febrile Seizure or fever induced seizure. Apparently after having one he is more likely to have them again. It can happen whenever a child between the ages of 5 months to 5 years fever spikes even as little as one degree quickly. It is speed with which it increases not the temperature degree. It only occurs in 15% (the ER doctor thinks it is more like 30% since it can happen while they sleep and no one could know) of children and they eventually out grow it. It does not mean they will develop epilepsy or any other seizure disorder.

For more information this is a great resource: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm

Thank you!

Thanks Kristen for reminding me that I hadn't followed up to let you all know that Gavin is indeed better. It was a really rough week. His fever finally broke on Saturday. He wasn't really himself all this week but today he finally perked back up and seems to be back to his normal, wild, playful self. Thanks for all your prayers.

I will try to post some pictures tomorrow.

Please pray...

Gavin has had a temp and hives for almost 5 days. It has been difficult to keep his temp below 104 the last couple of days. The doctor said it is just viral and to keep him hydrated and do the best we can on the temp. Poor thing is miserable.

Thanks for the prayers.

What have we been up to? Well besides finding moldy sippy cups in the tupperware cabinet, reaching for a can of green beans only to find a toy car, or digging out the George Forman grill and finding a book we have been traveling fools. Mike is still working a lot in Missoula so we have been back and forth there. My brother Nathan and his family came into town unexpectedly and we have enjoyed there company in Lewiston. Thankfully we won't be traveling much for the next two weeks.

As usual it's picture time!


"It's hard work emptying Mom's cupboard."

It's stylish but it won't keep the rain out.

"Hey who turned out the lights?"

Anytime the camera comes out Gavin smiles.

Cheska unlike Gavin doesn't always smile for the camera.
It's ok Cheska I think you are beautiful even when you don't smile.

"Get off me just cuz were cousins doesn't mean I will give you a hug."

My Mom had surgery on her foot and this is the scooter she is using to get around the kids thought it was quite fun.

My brother Nathan and his girlfriend Hope.

Here are a few pictures so you can see what we have been up to. I hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year!

Is there such a thing as too much snow? I think so and I think we past it about 10" before this picture was taken.

Sometimes you could hardly tell the dogs were out there.

He wasn't quite sure what to think about the Christmas tree. They made quick friends.

Oh Christmas Tree.

Ain't he cute?

His Christmas outfit.What a little man!

I couldn't leave this picture out.

I made red velvet cake for Christmas. I probably won't make it again, but I will search for a good Christmas dessert next year.

He was so proud of himself for lining all this up. All I saw was this until I walked around the corner and realized that wasn't all he lined up.

Can you say OCD? Ok not really it is kind of funny.

My half decorated Christmas tree.

We all love Uncle David, especially Gavin.

He didn't understand the wrapping paper but the gift bag he got. Thanks Grandma and Papa Bruce.

We had some very big icicles.

I sure love that goofy kid and he is goofy it seems more so everyday.

He will only eat things now that come off the plate we are eating from. If it came from our plate he will eat almost anything. He was really excited to use Daddy's fork.

One last toothy grin.

I didn't think I would post this many pictures but there you have it
Christmas through the New Year.

Merry Christmas to All!

Twas the night before Christmas,
and all through the house a creature was stirring, he wasn't a mouse;
the stockings were hung all willy nilly everywhere,
In the hopes that no one would notice they hardly made it there;
Too excited our child was not nestled quietly anywhere not even his bed,
Once he was there visions of sippy cups poured through his head;
Dadda in his plaid PJ bottoms and I in my spit up stained PJ's,
had just settled in for a long Christmas nap (because that's all you get)!


Our Christmas this year was last minute and rushed. My family waiting until the last minute to see if they could brave the roads while a winter storm warning was out. Finally they felt like they could leave so I scurried around to plan dinner, clean and wrap presents. Why wait you ask? Well to be honest I was so depressed about the whole situation I couldn't bring myself to do anything but watch Lifetime, ABC Family and Hallmark channel Christmas movies and yes I loved them all. Now I wait for my family to wake while I watch the ever busy, into everything, drive you crazy toddler version of Gavin. I love him even when I look at my Christmas tree which isn't decorated on the bottom half, even while he pulls every magazine from my beautifully piled stack and throws them on the floor all while pretending to not understand the phrase "don't touch that!" This isn't the Christmas I imagined and I know that it isn't for some of you out there the snow, among other things, threw a curve ball to our Christmas and some of us struck out. I am thinking of all of you this morning as I hustle to put Christmas dinner together. I pray we all make the most of whatever Christmas is this year and hope for a better Christmas next year.

To our health, happiness and abundant blessings in the New Year!
God bless you all!

The James Family

This was Gavin with Santa, a little creepy,
Gavin made the weirdest faces and this was the best one.
Still handsome I think.

P.S. Maybe I'll send out New Year's Cards?