We went to see the cardiologist on Thursday, and we got good news! The hole in Catherine's heart is smaller than it was last year and is no longer considered "moderate" in size, but he actually called it "tiny!" He said that he feels the exact opposite of how he felt about it last year and that it most likely will not need surgery. If you remember, last year he had said that it was highly likely that the hole would not close on its own and that she would need open-heart surgery.
With this appointment, a huge weight has been taken from my shoulders, and I pray that things continue to trend this way. Thank you to all who kept her in your prayers this year and always. We'll go back to see the cardiologist again in a year.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Rock-a-bye Baby
Catherine loves her baby dolls. Loves rocking them. Loves putting them to sleep. Loves feeding them bottles.
But I didn't realize how she could turn almost anything into a baby.
In this week alone, I've seen her rocking and shushing a tower of blocks, a helicopter, a faux lemon, and a box of Triscuits.
I kid you not.
But I didn't realize how she could turn almost anything into a baby.
In this week alone, I've seen her rocking and shushing a tower of blocks, a helicopter, a faux lemon, and a box of Triscuits.
I kid you not.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Spoiler Alert
The kids have seen their grandparents 4 of the last 5 weekends. To say they've been spoiled rotten is probably an understatement. I've been hearing all sorts of things like, "I don't want to go to the grocery store. I want to go to the zoo." and "But Grandma lets me!"
We spent one quick night in Lubbock on the way to Dalhart at the beginning of February. It happened to be Abuelo's birthday, so the kids got cupcakes. And Daniel got to stay up late to watch a big portion of the Olympic Openeing Ceremony. We didn't have much time in Lubbock that trip, so that's all the spoiling that happened that day.
The next weekend Abuelo and Abuela came to help me out (in a big way!) by babysitting several days while I worked. The kids got to do things like go to the zoo, play at the park, go out to eat, and just give-me-all-your-undivided-attention things.
The weekend after that we went to Lubbock again, this time for the RA reunion. The kids spent a good portion of the time with Abuelo and Abuela, giving us a chance to visit with friends. The highlight of that weekend was definitely going to the science museum. Daniel has not stopped talking about the triceratops they saw. They also got a big bag full of new clothes - that may have been more a spoiler for me. :)
The weekend after that it was just us. The kids loved that. Haha!
Last weeked David and I took a trip to Washington DC sans kiddos! My parents came to babysit for four days, giving us a chance to feel like real people instead of Mommy and Daddy. The kids hit the zoo, the library, and Nikki's Swirl Shoppe. Grandma brought all kinds of junk from her house to ours, including a seashell collection, a big bag of buttons, and sticker books.
We're super grateful that the kids were able to spend so much time with their grandparents and that they have them in their lives to love on them. Too bad now they have such a big adjustment to our regular life! David and I have been singing, "Back to life, back to reality." The kids get a big kick out of that....
We spent one quick night in Lubbock on the way to Dalhart at the beginning of February. It happened to be Abuelo's birthday, so the kids got cupcakes. And Daniel got to stay up late to watch a big portion of the Olympic Openeing Ceremony. We didn't have much time in Lubbock that trip, so that's all the spoiling that happened that day.
The next weekend Abuelo and Abuela came to help me out (in a big way!) by babysitting several days while I worked. The kids got to do things like go to the zoo, play at the park, go out to eat, and just give-me-all-your-undivided-attention things.
The weekend after that we went to Lubbock again, this time for the RA reunion. The kids spent a good portion of the time with Abuelo and Abuela, giving us a chance to visit with friends. The highlight of that weekend was definitely going to the science museum. Daniel has not stopped talking about the triceratops they saw. They also got a big bag full of new clothes - that may have been more a spoiler for me. :)
The weekend after that it was just us. The kids loved that. Haha!
Last weeked David and I took a trip to Washington DC sans kiddos! My parents came to babysit for four days, giving us a chance to feel like real people instead of Mommy and Daddy. The kids hit the zoo, the library, and Nikki's Swirl Shoppe. Grandma brought all kinds of junk from her house to ours, including a seashell collection, a big bag of buttons, and sticker books.
We're super grateful that the kids were able to spend so much time with their grandparents and that they have them in their lives to love on them. Too bad now they have such a big adjustment to our regular life! David and I have been singing, "Back to life, back to reality." The kids get a big kick out of that....
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Catherine's 2nd Birthday
Katie turned two on January 9th, which I realize was more than a month ago..... She got to pick the activities of the day, so we spent time at the library story time and at the mall playground. She also got to pick her meals, so we ended up with pancakes for breakfast (still shocked she didn't pick eggs!), grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, and broccoli with mac and cheese for dinner. I don't think she actually ended up liking the mac and cheese all that much, but the girl put down the broccoli!
We had a small party for her on the 11th. Abuelo and Abuela, the Calvo family, and a neighborhood girl, Tessa, came. We ordered pizzas and kept it pretty low key. She requested a "blue chocolate" cake and loved every bite of it. She got all kinds of good presents:
Mommy & Daddy: hooded owl towel, owl "piggy" bank, owl purse, and chapstick
Abuelo & Abuela: foam puzzles and play cupcakes
Grandpa & Grandma: Magna Doodle
Uncle Luis: Apple Sprout (My Little Pony)
Uncle Brian & Aunt Cristi: purse with a ton of accessories
Uncle Josh & Aunt Pam: Minnie Mouse tea party set
Uncle Brian & Aunt Heather: wooden dress-up doll and animal sounds puzzle
Calvo family: Mrs. Potato Head, hair bows, and sunglasses
Tessa: toddler Elsa the Snow Queen doll
She is loving a lot of the new presents!
Her current stats are 25.5 pounds and 33 inches tall. She's talking up a storm these days, but a lot of it is hard to understand if you haven't been around her much. I can understand most of what she says though, and if I can't, Daniel can interpret for me! She's still a tough little girl and likes to wrestle and play outside. She is sneaky and likes to pick on her older brother. She loves, loves, loves babies - real or fake. She also loves playing the game Perfection, reading books, going for walks, pushing her stroller, and dancing. She'll dance to anything and likes to imitate other people dancing. She's still very independent and likes to do things herself. She can put on her own pants, socks, and shoes. She can take off her pants, socks, shoes, and diaper (uh-oh!). She sleeps so-so at night, frequently waking up at least once, just for the sake of waking up. She takes an hour to an hour and fifteen minute nap in the afternoon. She's a super sweet girl. :)
We had a small party for her on the 11th. Abuelo and Abuela, the Calvo family, and a neighborhood girl, Tessa, came. We ordered pizzas and kept it pretty low key. She requested a "blue chocolate" cake and loved every bite of it. She got all kinds of good presents:
Mommy & Daddy: hooded owl towel, owl "piggy" bank, owl purse, and chapstick
Abuelo & Abuela: foam puzzles and play cupcakes
Grandpa & Grandma: Magna Doodle
Uncle Luis: Apple Sprout (My Little Pony)
Uncle Brian & Aunt Cristi: purse with a ton of accessories
Uncle Josh & Aunt Pam: Minnie Mouse tea party set
Uncle Brian & Aunt Heather: wooden dress-up doll and animal sounds puzzle
Calvo family: Mrs. Potato Head, hair bows, and sunglasses
Tessa: toddler Elsa the Snow Queen doll
She is loving a lot of the new presents!
Her current stats are 25.5 pounds and 33 inches tall. She's talking up a storm these days, but a lot of it is hard to understand if you haven't been around her much. I can understand most of what she says though, and if I can't, Daniel can interpret for me! She's still a tough little girl and likes to wrestle and play outside. She is sneaky and likes to pick on her older brother. She loves, loves, loves babies - real or fake. She also loves playing the game Perfection, reading books, going for walks, pushing her stroller, and dancing. She'll dance to anything and likes to imitate other people dancing. She's still very independent and likes to do things herself. She can put on her own pants, socks, and shoes. She can take off her pants, socks, shoes, and diaper (uh-oh!). She sleeps so-so at night, frequently waking up at least once, just for the sake of waking up. She takes an hour to an hour and fifteen minute nap in the afternoon. She's a super sweet girl. :)
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Christmas
Here are a few pics of Christmas:
We spent Christmas with my family in Bosque Farms. On our way there, we spent the night in Lubbock to break up the trip and make it easier for the kids (and us). I was awoken in the middle of that first night because Daniel had a fever. Fun way to start a trip! In hindsight, we probably should have turned around and gone right back home because we ended up infecting not one, not two, but five people with the flu! Catherine got it the day before Christmas. They were both fairly miserable for good portions of the time.
Other than that......the trip was really fun! We were with my parents and my sister's family. We got to spend time with Bryson and Carly which was one of the highlights. My parents fed us more food than you could possibly fathom, and it was all wonderful. Too bad that Catherine wasn't feeling well on Christmas Eve. I think she would have liked the lobster!
A funny highlight of the trip was seeing Santa Claus. Helen (from my sister's side of the family) dressed up as Santa and surprised the kids by knocking on the window one evening. All the kids just stood there staring at him and waving. We even heard his sleigh bells ringing! Pretty exciting stuff! Catherine kept saying "Want see ho-ho-ho" after he left. :)
This was the first time that Catherine really understood who all the people there were. She learned all their names (sort of) and we practice them a lot by singing "happy birthday" (her latest favorite song) to them all on a daily basis.
We came home the day after Christmas, and the kids felt better in a few days' time. David's parents spent New Year's with us and spoiled the kids with more presents. It was like a second Christmas!
I don't know why, but I like to remember the gifts that the kids got, so here's the rundown:
Daniel:
Santa Claus - wheel loader, camera
Grandma Fox - money
Daddy & Mommy - Book of Heroes saint book
Grandpa & Grandma - coloring books and magazine subscription
Abuelo, Abuela, & Uncle Luis - telescope and microscope
Uncle Brian & Aunt Cristi - science experiment kit
Uncle Brian & Aunt Heather - magnet art kit
Ms. Marcy - Skippyjon Jones workbook
Ms. Ashley - science kit and book
Catherine:
Santa Claus: cradle and Cabbage Patch Kid (Pax Charlie)
Grandma Fox - money
Daddy & Mommy - lift the flap Bible
Grandpa & Grandma - coloring book and magazine subscription
Abuelo & Abuela - doll stroller and back pack
Uncle Luis - Violet the dog
Uncle Brian & Aunt Cristi - cash register
Uncle Josh & Aunt Pam - baby highchair and pretend food
Ms. Marcy - headband
Ms. Ashley - stuffed cat and stickers
Daniel with his wheel loader
Catherine with her baby and cradle
Bryson with his Lightning slippers
Carly
Catherine "cutting" her new fruits and vegetables
Daniel opening his telescope
Catherine with her new stroller and baby
Other than that......the trip was really fun! We were with my parents and my sister's family. We got to spend time with Bryson and Carly which was one of the highlights. My parents fed us more food than you could possibly fathom, and it was all wonderful. Too bad that Catherine wasn't feeling well on Christmas Eve. I think she would have liked the lobster!
A funny highlight of the trip was seeing Santa Claus. Helen (from my sister's side of the family) dressed up as Santa and surprised the kids by knocking on the window one evening. All the kids just stood there staring at him and waving. We even heard his sleigh bells ringing! Pretty exciting stuff! Catherine kept saying "Want see ho-ho-ho" after he left. :)
This was the first time that Catherine really understood who all the people there were. She learned all their names (sort of) and we practice them a lot by singing "happy birthday" (her latest favorite song) to them all on a daily basis.
We came home the day after Christmas, and the kids felt better in a few days' time. David's parents spent New Year's with us and spoiled the kids with more presents. It was like a second Christmas!
I don't know why, but I like to remember the gifts that the kids got, so here's the rundown:
Daniel:
Santa Claus - wheel loader, camera
Grandma Fox - money
Daddy & Mommy - Book of Heroes saint book
Grandpa & Grandma - coloring books and magazine subscription
Abuelo, Abuela, & Uncle Luis - telescope and microscope
Uncle Brian & Aunt Cristi - science experiment kit
Uncle Brian & Aunt Heather - magnet art kit
Ms. Marcy - Skippyjon Jones workbook
Ms. Ashley - science kit and book
Catherine:
Santa Claus: cradle and Cabbage Patch Kid (Pax Charlie)
Grandma Fox - money
Daddy & Mommy - lift the flap Bible
Grandpa & Grandma - coloring book and magazine subscription
Abuelo & Abuela - doll stroller and back pack
Uncle Luis - Violet the dog
Uncle Brian & Aunt Cristi - cash register
Uncle Josh & Aunt Pam - baby highchair and pretend food
Ms. Marcy - headband
Ms. Ashley - stuffed cat and stickers
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Surprise!
Daniel came to get me just now and said he had a surprise to show me in the bathroom.
I was immediately concerned, but he assured me it was not in the toilet.
He had me close my eyes and led me to the bathroom.
"Open them!" he says. I open my eyes and see........nothing.
I say, "What's the surprise?"
He says, "It's behind here" as he opens the door a bit.
I still see nothing out of the ordinary, so I look at him, bewildered.
He says, "Well, I sure do know how to put a new roll of toilet paper on all by myself."
He was so proud! My future daughter-in-law owes me big time!
I was immediately concerned, but he assured me it was not in the toilet.
He had me close my eyes and led me to the bathroom.
"Open them!" he says. I open my eyes and see........nothing.
I say, "What's the surprise?"
He says, "It's behind here" as he opens the door a bit.
I still see nothing out of the ordinary, so I look at him, bewildered.
He says, "Well, I sure do know how to put a new roll of toilet paper on all by myself."
He was so proud! My future daughter-in-law owes me big time!
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Venture Out
I guess you could say we don't get out much. We definitely avoid taking the kids to restaurants, but the other night David had a work dinner at Abuelo's, and our whole family was invited.
As we were getting ready to go, I told Katie to put on her shoes so we could go out to eat. She said, "Go mass?" I told her, "No, we're not going to mass. We're going to a restaurant to eat." She didn't understand and kept asking, "Go mass?" over and over since that's apparently the only place we ever take her.
Then when we got to the restaurant, someone said something about a menu, and Daniel asked, "What's a menu?" My kid (whose vocabulary includes words like asteroid and tsunami) had never heard the word "menu!"
We need to get out more!
As we were getting ready to go, I told Katie to put on her shoes so we could go out to eat. She said, "Go mass?" I told her, "No, we're not going to mass. We're going to a restaurant to eat." She didn't understand and kept asking, "Go mass?" over and over since that's apparently the only place we ever take her.
Then when we got to the restaurant, someone said something about a menu, and Daniel asked, "What's a menu?" My kid (whose vocabulary includes words like asteroid and tsunami) had never heard the word "menu!"
We need to get out more!
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