What happens when the boys are very, very quiet

No worries, the markers are actually made for coloring on windows. Cleaned up rather nicely with Windex.

The boys were rather cute with the whole thing. They both came out of their room when Kevin got home from work and said they had a surprise for us. We had to close our eyes and let them lead us in to the room. They were so excited to show us the surprise.

Todd's 4th Birthday Party

Pretty much a redo of last year. Todd insisted on having his party at the go-cart place and wanted a pink cake again. Kevin is just thrilled that Todd wants pink cake. I keep explaining that it is not the color but the flavor, strawberry, that he loves because he also asks for strawberries and bananas to be in and on the cake. He mostly eats the fruit, then a little cake and a tiny bit of frosting. Go figure. If I could figure out how to make a cake entirely of fruit I think Todd would be very, very happy.

Anyway, he had a great time with family and friends from school. Bruce, Jack, Emma and his teacher Mrs. Altland (all from school) were able to be at his party to celebrate. In addition his cousins Christina, John Thomas, Patrick and Zane as well as Brendon and Alyssa made the party. The kids all had a blast, even the littlest ones, Z and Alyssa. Of course the bigger boys all loved the go-carts and had a blast driving them. Then on to pizza, cake, present opening and lots of video games. Mini golf is also included but the past two parties have kinda been crazy with doing the golf thing as well so I got the coupons and we will do another day. Besides it is insanely hot here already and the day of Todd's party was no different with the temp reaching at least ninety by 11am. And honestly, there was no way I was going outside to help herd lots of little 4/5 year olds around an 18 hole golf course. No way.

Todd ending his party by playing on the playground and then passing out cold on the way home.

Monday, before his birthday, we all went to the store so Todd could pick out his new big boy bike. He got a spider man one. No training wheels. He also got a new helmet and a horn (or beep, beep as he says). Kevin put it together that night so he could ride it the next day (his actual birthday). The day of his actual birthday, Tuesday this year, Todd picked McDonald's for dinner (we let them pick their dinner on their actual birthday) and then went home to ride his new big boy bike with no training wheels. It took him about 30 mins to figure out the peddle thing and then he just took off all by himself. He is such a big boy. Kevin posted a video. For all who may not have seen it yet it is in my video area on the right side bar.

What Todd is doing now that he is 4:

* Riding a big boy bike with no training wheels

* Still sucking his thumb at night when going to sleep

* Still has a blankee to go to sleep with. Have recently determined he likes the smell.

* He can write his first name

* He is finally swimming all by himself. He is also jumping and diving into the pool.

* Loves to snorkle. Insists on having his mask, snorkle and fins every time we go to the beach.

* Still not that into tubing and water sports. Maybe some day.

* Loves to be outside.

* Loves to go on the boat.

* Loves, loves, loves sports...baksetball, baseball, soccer, football

* Can take out Kyle with one tackle...and than laughs about it

* He is really stubborn and independent

* Can whistle and snap

* Plays with my hair

* Likes to wear my shoes around the house

* Loves costumes and loves to dress up and pretend (has very vivid imagination)

* Loves his books...wants to take one to school every day

Now on to the pictures.

Baby Update

Short but sweet as I have no new news from fetal cardiologist. However, I saw my regular OB on Tuesday and the high risk doctor at MFM today and both have said the little girl is growing very well. Her heart looks the same, which at this point is very good news. She weighs 4 pounds even and is 17 inches long. She keeps this up she may well be my biggest baby. Kyle was 7lbs, 15 oz and 21 inches at birth. Todd was 7lbs, 6 oz and 18 inches at birth. I am almost 32 weeks (Sunday) and expected delivery will be around 39 weeks. She still has 7 weeks to get bigger! She is an active little thing as well. Also very, very good. She is just as happy as she can be right now.

In other news, I am now officially on medication (Glyburide) to help control my gestational diabetes. So, this means I am now being monitored even more than usual and hooked up to the monitor for non stress tests for the baby. Good thing about this is that if a problem does arise then I will know pretty quickly.

11 Weeks

17 Weeks

21 Weeks

25 Weeks

28 Weeks

Normal, Healthy but No Love for Needles

Todd had his 4 year check-up/physical this morning. I am happy to report that he is perfectly normal and healthy. His iron is "excellent...mom must be doing a good job with healthy eating." (Gold star for me...yippee!...since he takes zero vitamins). He weighs 37 lbs (only 4 fewer than his big bro...opps...sorry Kyle) and is 41 inches tall. We already knew his height since we just measured him to make sure he could ride the roller coasters, etc at Disney last month. His vision is perfect and so is his hearing. (I knew he was just selectively listening to me...just like big bro and just like dad!) He also did very well with his shots considering how freaked out he was because of his big bro telling him how shots are so awful. Seriously. Must have talk with big brother about scaring his little brother. Sweet child that Todd is he just asked me bunches of questions about the shots, was super excited when he only had to get 3 (instead of 4 as two of the vaccines have been combined...thanks goodness), barely cried even though he did say owwww, that hurts and quite seriously declared to me in the car..."mama, I don't love needles." All in all a very good report for the munchkin. Now if I can just get to doing a post about his birthday then I can get some pictures up here...

Happy Birthday My Big 4 Year Old

I am planning on posting more about Todd's birthday and his party but had to get this down before I completely forgot it. In the car this morning on the way to school he told me..."mama, I am not going to suck my thumb anymore." Since this is not a subject we have even addressed I was a little stunned. I guess hitting the magical age of 4 (today) somehow negates thumb sucking? I said to Todd, okay, if that is what you want to do. Secretly I wonder how long this declaration will last, maybe all the way until bedtime tonight.

Growing Up So Fast

Kyle is such a big boy...he can tie his own shoes now. He is quite proud of himself. I wanted to post a picture with this post as he is just too cute while concentrating on tying them, but don't have one yet. Maybe tomorrow. Still cannot believe he will be 6 years old this year.

A.O.A. (Seriously)

I started a post last week to cover mother's day and my birthday...including pictures...and I just have not gotten back around to finish it. So, that one will be posted after this one, which does not follow chronological order but...whatever.

A.O.A. = Alot of Acronyms.

I am not kidding.

Here is the little girl's diagnosis...doctor style...

HLHS, DORV, TGA, PS, VSD and MA.

I will give a gold star to anyone who can correctly tell me what each of them means ;) If you have to look them up I may only give you half a star...

We visited St. Pete again yesterday. Did the echo and met with Dr. H, the fetal cardiologist. We also got to meet the pediatric cardiac surgeon. Between just these two offices we were in a doctor's office for 5.5 hours. Seriously. I am beginning to wonder if I can absorb knowledge just be being in these offices...ya' know, kinda like osmosis.

Here is the good news. Both Dr. H and Dr. C think we may be able to forgo the first surgery, the placement of the shunt (fingers, toes and everything else crossed). This all depends on how well this little girls heart can get just the right amount of blood to her lungs. Kevin tells me not to count on this happening but I cannot help but hope. The way her heart is set-up and functioning right now, one of her defects (and I am not saying which one because I really want you to guess the acronyms...I'm just weird that way) may actually help her after delivery. Who would of thought that? Anyway, this one defect may in fact be protecting her lungs and getting just the right amount of blood there to keep her oxygen levels good (around 75%). Should this be the case then we can wait for surgery until the 4 to 6 month mark. And then the super scary worry and concern come. The next two surgeries are big and nasty and complex and terrifying.

Other than that, everything else remains the same. Same diagnosis, same management and same game plan for delivery and after delivery. Just as Dr. H was on our first visit (and continues to be at each of our visits), Dr. C is just as positive. While we know for a fact that we are entering into an unfamiliar realm with a new reality being forced on us we have a legitimate, fighting chance for a life for this little girl. And in all reality...who can honestly ask for more.

Please keep the prayers coming. I know they are working and I know with all of my heart God is hearing them. He may not answer these prayers they way I want them to be answered but I have to trust that whatever happens, God has been with us the whole time.

As Kevin had mentioned in his last post, I know there are some people who do not understand or appreciate the very seriousness of what we are facing. In all actuality, if this was happening to someone I knew and I had never experienced this I would be the exact same way. I would think, well, the doctors know what the problem is and they can do surgery and voila...all is well.

And really this is not the case.

Even if this little girl happens to fall into the 0.1% of the super stars who live with a single ventricle (and by super star I mean she has no other problems that regularly occur with this stage of defect and the surgeries associated with it...ie, strokes, effusion, brain damage, etc.) there is still no way of knowing when the heart will fail. Her heart will work on a single ventricle for as long as it can but noone knows if this is 10 years, 20 years, 30 years or maybe more. She (and us, by virtue of us being her parents) will have years of heart monitoring, doctors appointments, possible follow-up surgeries and who knows what else to deal with associated issues that could develop. If all fails her only option will be a heart transplant. There is no medicine or surgery that can cure her heart. She will live with this defect her entire life.