Birthday Week

The first week of February is always fun and fattening at our house, because it's birthday week! On February 1st, we celebrated the birth of our son Andrew, who is now 3! I can't believe where the time has gone. We spent the morning together as a family, then we had a couple of friends over for a little lunch play date (thank you to all who came to celebrate with us). After that my best friend Kasey and her kids Jaxxon and Sophie came to play. That evening we headed out to dinner at El Sarape to celebrate with our extended families. Andrew had a blast and was spoiled rotten (like always)! It was a great and exhausting day.

special morning breakfast

some of the friends that came to play

All the kids were willing to help him open his gifts

Then, on February 2nd is my birthday. I turned the big 25! I don't feel any different, but I did have a spectacular day and weekend!!! My birthday started off with breakfast in bed, a manicure, a hair trim, lunch date with my mom, play date at Chuck E Cheese with my 3 favorite men, and a movie date night out with my sweetheart! I felt so spoiled and blessed. It truly was a great day. Then, on Friday Jon surprised me with dinner at the Space Needle!!! I had never been and it was great. The best part of the evening was just being with Jon. I absolutely loved our night together, and look forward to so many more!!!

Special dessert at the Space Needle

I don't have any pictures, but February 3rd was Jon's brother Josh's Birthday! And despite the fact that my grandmother is no longer living on this earth, I think about her every year on February 4th which is her birthday! Needless to say, it was a GREAT way to kick off February, plus we've been having sunny weather which is always a bonus!

Christmas 2011

We had a great Christmas and were surrounded by our family, which was the best! I am grateful for the true meaning of Christmas and for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the sacrifices he made in my behalf so that I can return to live -not only with him, but with my family forever. I love the Savior and hope as this holiday season passed we were all able to take a moment and remember it's true meaning!

And after that, enjoy the material parts of Christmas like us! Tree decorationg, cookie making, family time, gift exchanges, great food, and lots of relaxation. Below is our holiday in pictures.

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a little target practice
Andrew LOVED having his aunt Tiffany home, they had so much fun together!

They even snuggled on the couch and watched a movie together

We spent Christmas Eve at the Leavitt's home - the Kids had a blast opening presents and spending time with the family!

KB loved his football

The girls put together a sweet picture full of all Tom and Sylvia's grandkids

Drew and Kenneth opening early christmas presents

A picture of the family who was able to make it out for Christmas Eve - we missed Jaycee, Jesse, Jason, Mike and Elna terribly, wish you were there!

Christmas morning was semi-relaxed. We spent the morning as a family doing our traditional get up open stockings, eat breakfast, then open gifts. And since Christmas landed on a Sunday this year, we all got dressed and headed out to Church. After church we headed out to my parents house where we had a fabulous dinner (thanks mom), and opened more gifts. We were all spoiled rotten, and appreciate all the love!

KB found candy in his stocking

The finished Christmas tree

This kid makes the BEST faces!

Christmas Tree

On Saturday we were finally able to go get our Christmas tree. Normally we go to Ames Christmas Tree Farm and cut one down from there, but this year my dad said we could go out to his new property and see if we liked any there. We said why not, it was free? We ended up choosing one from my dad's place. It definitely isn't the prettiest tree we have ever gotten, but it does the job!
Aside from being really really cold, the boys loved playing outside, running around. Plus, Grandpa gave them pieces of candy for going and getting our tree. Too sweet! Unfortunately due to Jon not feeling great last night, we didn't decorate the tree, but I did wrap gifts and put them under the tree, so I say that counts. I'll post more pictures when it's finished.

The boys trying to decide if this was the tree
It looks like a good one to Kenneth

Probably one of my new favorite pictures of KB

They had fun chasing each other

Another favorite - I think he was just too cold to move.

Helping dad cut it down

Seeing double? 3 of my most favorite people on earth!

Daddy and KB

My boys!

(disclosure: Drew refused to let me take his picture, that's why most are of KB)

Beautiful Heartbreak

Have you ever listened to a song that hit you straight to the heart? This one does. I am such a music lover, and I cannot get enough of this song. I have been playing it over and over and over again for the past couple days! What a fantastic message. I believe that at some point or another we are all going to have heartbreak (if we haven't already) and during those times we are tried to our extremes, it is what we learn and how we deal with those heartbreaks that can change them from being tragic and hard, to becoming something truly beautiful.

I absolutely love how this music video was put together. How different would we all treat each other if we each held a sign that helped describe why we are the way we are? To not be so judgemental of others. I appreciate this video and as Thanksgiving is tomorrow, I hope we all remember to be thankful for not only our blessings, but also our beautiful heartbreaks. Life is not an easy journey, but with love, compassion, forgiveness we can find the beauty within each day and each heartbreak as they arise. I am grateful for this song and the enlightenment I feel when I listen to it.

Test and Results.

Last Tuesday Andrew went in for his annual ultrasound and RNC (radionuclide cystogram) exam. He has to have these done each year because when he was 2 1/2 months old he got a UTI (urinary tract infection). He was further tested after having a UTI because it is really uncommon for boys to get them. With the further testing it was determined that he has vesicoureteral reflux. The worst part was that he was diagnosed with stage 5 VUR, 5 being the most severe case. It has since decreased to stage 4.

To explain VUR: "a child is born with a ureter that did not grow long enough during the child’s development in the womb. The valve formed by the ureter pressing against the bladder wall does not close properly, so urine refluxes from the bladder to the ureter and eventually to the kidney. This type of VUR can get better or disappear as a child gets older. As a child grows, the ureter gets longer and function of the valve improves." (courtesy of http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/vesicoureteralreflux/)

With this condition there is serious possibilities for kidney damage and scarring, this is the reason he has ultrasounds annually, the VCUG test or RNC exams are to determine if the level of severity is going down. So that is what he had done on Tuesday at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma.

I was really worried about him having these tests done again, it is not something you want to see your child go through (just trust me on this one)! The tests are really invasive for a little boy and the last two years he's had them done he's had to be awake and therefore remembers everything. This had led to a fear of doctors, and a fear of laying down in a doctor's facility.

I was hesitant to take him up, but he did GREAT this time around!!! I give a huge hats off to the ultrasound technicians, they were excellent! Andrew was very nervous, but when we walked in, the lady technician had toys for him (a disco ball with colors on it and when you pushed a button it spun -she let him be in charge of letting it spin), she also turned the tv on and let him watch cartoons, and the best part was they allowed him to sit-up for most of the exam. That is such a huge blessing, because he really doesn't do well in a doctor's office laying down. The ultrasound took a little over an hour, but Andrew was a champ. He hardly cried, he only did at the very end when they needed him to lay down to get the last couple pictures. The technician was so sweet and let Andrew touch the part that goes on his belly and also let him squirt the gel onto his belly (he loved that part). After allowing him to squirt the gel onto his belly, he was all smiles. When he was done with that they gave him a new car, stickers, and a pillow, it was a huge success and I am grateful for those two technicians who were extremely patient, kind, and understanding!

After his ultrasound we were taken into another area to wait for his RNC exam. This was the first year he had a RNC exam, the last two years he's had VCUG test, so I didn't know what to expect. One of the biggest (for a mom) differences in this exam is that your child gets to be sedated for the exam, the other difference is this type of exam leads to less radiation he is exposed too. (it also means the exam is not as in depth as the VCUG test, but it does the job) The worst part about this one is he has to have an IV to be sedated. He did great though, we had a little bit of a tough time when he acciently saw the nurse with the needle, but even with seeing it, he was such a little trooper.

Next we waited for the sedation pediatrician (who was running late). The Dr. ended up running about 20 minutes late, but as soon as the sedation Dr. entered the room Andrew was in, Andrew looked at him and screamed "I DON'T WANT IT!!!!" I don't know that Andrew realized who he was, but he was certain that whatever this doctor was going to give him, he didn't want it!

Next Andrew was taken into the exam room, where he was then given the sedation, and the exam proceeded. A couple minor complications in the exam room led for the test having to be completed after Andrew woke up from sedation, but overall they were able to get the pictures they needed and we were finally allowed to go home!

I couldn't be happier or prouder of Andrew, he was such a trooper and did such a phenomenal job with all the testing he had that day!!!

The following day we drove up to Puyallup to see his Urologist and receive the results of his tests. The Dr. explained that while there is no damage on scarring on Andrew Kidney's (blessing), Andrew's condition has not decreased in severity, he is still diagnosed at stage 4. This means, Andrew has to continue taking antibiotics (an even higher dosage) everyday, and he will also have to have these same tests done again next year. It also means, that if Andrew's body does not resolve the problem on his own he will need to have surgery next year to fix it. We are hoping for the best, but know that no matter what the condition will be resolved. Aside from that Andrew is a very active, happy, healthy boy and we LOVE him!

Andrew in the waiting room, waiting his turn for his ultrasound

The nurse putting numbing cream on

All better now that he has some toys to play with (waiting for his RNC exam)

Showing us all his lotion

Doesn't he look happy to be having these exams?

The towel is hiding his IV, but he's happier now cause they gave him a new truck!
I didn't take any pictures of the aftermath, because honestly we both just wanted to get out of there and go home

Got Corn?

We do and lots of it! To explain: My husband Jon is set on trying to become self-sufficient, which meant for this year, he wanted to plant a garden, which he did, and for the hard soil we planted in and the lack of experience we had, we ended up with a ton of successes. We were able to grow carrots, peas, strawberries (deer ate them), cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, jalapenos, lettuce, and corn! We also shared our little garden spot with my mom. She also had planted many of the same things, one of which was the corn. As the stalks started to grow (Jon watered and took care of them everday), Jon got more and more frustrated as he realized my mom's corn was growin thicker (the stalk) and her corn was bigger! He decided that because she didn't come out enough to take care of her garden and that he put in the effort to make sure her stuff survived, he was going to eat her first piece...which he did (and it was delicious - sorry mom).

Of course, my mom did find out and apparently came up with a cuter-than-cute idea. She came over on a friday afternoon to drop off a cute halloween decoration for me, and then said she had something for Jon, but it was going to take a while (Jon had just came home for lunch and my job was to keep him inside so my mom could do what she needed). I, at this point had no idea what she was talking about, but minutes later Jon went outside, came back inside, and told Andrew to get his boots on cause we had lots and lots of corn in the garden. The pictures below are what he found:

Our garden

He found some corn!

But it wasn't just any type of corn, it was CANDY CORN!!!

(Jon's smile says it all)

Mom look at all this Corn we found!!!
My mom had put together over 30 bags of candy corn, tied ribbon around them, labeled them with "Jon's Corn" and hid them all over in our garden, it was such a brilliant idea and so much fun for Jon & Drew!!! Thanks mom for helping us jump-start the Halloween season!

P.S. Someday I hope to be as creative as she is!