It was a cold, dark and rainy night....

It was Halloween! This year has been the year of perpetual rain. And so the one Saturday Halloween in Grace's six years of trick or treating and it was miserable. Our street carnival got moved indoors and then back outdoors and probably ended early due to the drizzle that was hanging in the air. Lily did not last long in her strawberry costume and Grace put her fleece lined raincoat on over her Strawberry Shortcake and took off the wig. I have no pictures on my camera of the event(hoping for the nicest neighbors in the whole world and friends and family to pull through on some pictures of the girls for me.) We then ate our annual neighborhood fall picnic of chilli's and soups and other wonderful food. Then set out the trick or treaters. The moms huddled under the tents with bowls of candy in our chairs waiting for all the trick or treaters. The dad's headed out with kids in tow looking for the best treats in the land. They actually stayed gone longer than I would have ever imagined on such a yucky night. But we were all home, candy passed out and in bed before 9:00. So much for a late Saturday night of fun in the fall. Oh well fun was had and next years will be even better! Kudos to Mrs. Holly for organizing the event and cleaning out her garage for all the food to be kept dry and thank goodness for the Reeves and Metiviers tents.
If I get some pictures from the aforementioned friends or family members I will post them or time willing and ear infections easing I will put them back in their costumes for some pictures after the fact.(Yes Lily has her double ear infections again/still and is getting two shots a day for the next three days and then to the ENT we go)

Week in Review

Ok, so maybe I was complaining on Monday, but really so much in one weekend?!? Come ON!

Anyway our TV is still broke, it was the MAIN Board and the part had to come from California. It should have come in yesterday, but no news yet. Tuesday I spent calling around trying to get someone to come and look at it, so it would be fixed by the weekend. They came and looked at it on Tuesday and here it is Saturday and it is still broke.

I took Lily to the doctor Mon. late morning and her ear infection was worse, close to bursting the ear drum. They gave her some Augmentin and some strong numbing drops for the pain. She has lived off of the numbing drops and Motrin all week. Now she gets diahrea and an awful rash but the ears look better according to the doctor that we went back to see yesterday. I am not a psychic but I see tubes in our future.

We have NO rodents in our house, they must have been visiting from our neighbor who had roof rats or running from the neighborhood cats.

A lot of friends had their babies this week, congrats to them all Four sets of parents for a total of 5 kids (one set of twins to new parents).

And finally, not a lot of sleep, so sorry for the grumpiness, I hope it gets better soon!

Really, I am not complaining.........

This is how the weekend started............

Yes folks, those are small rodent droppings in my Garage!

With a little of this.............

Grace and I saw Disney's commercial on Ice with overpriced trinkets.

Lily fussed a lot with her double ear infections.

a lot of work, a report card

This thrown in the middle.............

Yes, we have a almost 10 month old busted flat screen and now watch tv on our 20 inch, that is older than Grace.

and it ended with this being the fix.

DON"T ASK!

What will this week hold? So far 30 degree temperatures, an 8 am visit from a wildlife specialist(NO RODENTS IN OUR ATTIC!), possibly a re-visit to the doc for the double ear infection(LATER THIS MORNING.), and of course more cleaning. Luckily no rain in the forcast until friday(will we ever dry out?)

Wish us luck!

Pickin Pumpkins!

Posing with the pumpkins!

My Goofy Girls

Would have been a good picture if Grace hadn't moved and T was looking at the camera.

Thought that I was video taping, so T was waving and talking.

Always pointing at her Grandma.

"mom he's bothering me."

strike a pose, but don't look at either camera.

That big girl is always talkin.

Really enough photos already.

ok, I will try to smile.

Ok, Aunt Anna, I need the rest you took with your camera!

One Year Old!

It has been an amazing year! I say this in both good and bad ways. Lily came into the world in a very exciting way. My water broke Sunday over night. I went to work, and the mailbox place on Monday before even thinking that something may be wrong. By that afternoon I was admitted to the hospital and Lily was on her way into the world. It still took 24 hours of trying to be induced to have her naturally(with pain killers of course) and a baby who was backing up into my ribs and away from the monitors before they decided it was time for a c-section. Lily came into the world as Tom and I were in the OR trying to think of her name. And to think I was actually scared of a c-section, boy was I wrong, it was super easy on me. The first 24 hours I couldn't be left alone with her in that my legs wouldn't work. I sent Tom home for a good nights rest. The next day the pediatrician saw Lily and informed us of a little problem and that she was calling in the pediatric cardiologist. The next couple of hours were torture. To top that off the cardiologist that tried to explain the issue they were seeing on sonogram had really no bed side manner and was not aware of what Tom and I had been through with the loss of Brendan and the decision to have another child. Within minutes Grace and Grandma were on their way to meet little Lily and Tom and I had to get ourselves together. Grace was in heaven with her new sister but cried on the way home missing mommy.

The next couple of months went by in a blur of doctors, tests, throw up, and even an ER visit for Miss Lily. Turned out to be bad acid reflux, and an upset tummy due to the formula. We put her on prevacid - $30 a month with insurance, the champagne of formulas - Alimentum $10 a bottle and her stomach settled. Unfortunately the little heart problem noticed in the nursery at the hospital got worse as time went on and by Christmas the specialists were talking surgery.

As you all know February came and so did the surgery. I wish not to relive that time in her life. I relive it every time she cries, or wakes me up in the middle of the night, or gives me a hug. I can see her little swollen face and her eyes that she can't open, the hole in her chest that pulses with her heartbeat, the inability to eat or suck on a paci, all the machines, tubes, blood and other things that I NEVER want to see again. And every time I close my eyes, I thank God that she made it through. I will never forget the second call from the OR within minutes of the doctor saying he was closing that the nurse was telling me that they had to go back in.. that Lily's heart rate was over 300 and her BP was way too low. I remember dropping to my knees and crying and all those near me praying for her and her doctors. I appreciate the Presbyterian ministers, the Baptist ministers and Methodist ministers that came from friends and my own church to pray with us and for us even the Hospital chaplain. I appreciate all the prayers from around the world for my little Lily. I love that her pediatricians office called daily to check on her progress. She is my starting to walk, starting to talk MIRACLE! (sorry I relived and now I am crying)

Since February, she has crawled, sat up, starting to walk, starting to talk, and all the other "normal" developmental milestones except teeth have come and flourished. She is 21pounds 9 ounces and 28 1/4 inches long. She is starting to like whole milk, moving away from bottles, still does not use a pacifier or suck her thumb. She terrorizes the dog by chasing him around the house, tries to climb the stairs, takes everything out of the drawers or toy baskets. She loves to go to the bus stop to pick up her favorite person in the whole wide world and never smiles for a camera. She loves music, is starting to enjoy the Wiggles and loves her nap music. She has a favorite blanket and loves to sleep in a onesie - even when it is cold outside and the heat is not on.

We spent her first birthday in Disney World as a gift to our family after our difficult year. For this we have to say a big thank you to all Tom's friends and co-workers and acquaintances who gathered money for Lily and her recovery. We used it to pay the medical bills and with what was left over and our tax refund and Papa too, we were able to go to Disney. We had a great time and personally I can't wait to go back.

I can't wait to share what the next year has in store for us with our two beautiful girls. May we be as blessed in the coming year as we were this past year. We have a wonderful extended family, special friends and a great life. When I am complaining of the trivial please gently remind me that i have been through worse and it does get better. Thanks!

Celebrate Disney Style!

We spent the last week partying in the Happiest Place on Earth. We were celebrating Lily's First Birthday and the amazing strength of God's love. As you all know we have had a rough couple of years of tests of our faith. Lily is now healthy and not looking for any further surgery. While we are still healing, we seem to be in the upswing of life and looking forward to all the firsts ahead with Miss Lily and Miss Grace. Here are a few snapshots from our amazing trip.

School yard (not so) fun.

Four and a half weeks into school I get the dreaded phone call from the school nurse. I was thinking, Oh no is Grace sick, what could she have, strep? the stomach bug? or worse - the flu? The answer is NO. She was hurt on the playground by one of her classmates. It was an accident, two girls were holding onto the birthday boys hands and when they let go he flew into Grace bumping her cheek with his very hard head. It immediately turned purple and swelled into the size of a large grape. The nurse gave her ice and called me to come take her to the doctor, they were concerned for her eye, because the bruise is so close to the eye. As I was checking her out in walks another mother and daughter on their way to the doctor due to a very similar injury, just on the other cheek. She was also a Kindergartener and had been hurt earlier on the playground too.
We went to the doctor and she was fine so Lily and Mommy got flu shots and Grace got the flu sniffer and we ran through the McDonald's drive thru for some chocolate shakes. Grace also got a new book, and Daddy read her Purpleicious to go with her bruise. She then had to wear purple to school today to match the bruise. They made her sit out of PE. Pictures are next week to boot. I guess she will always remember Kindergarten and her friends on the playground. Until it looks better I have got to remember to quit wincing when I look at her. It is amazing how much it hurts to see your child hurting.

Wed. Night after the doctors office and a Mcdonald's chocolate milkshake.

Thursday morning before school, she wanted to wear purple to match her eye.

ps any makeup tips for pictures next week would be appreciated.