First Tooth!

Oliver's first tooth popped through today! He was a little cranky last night and this morning.  I checked this morning and it hadn't broke through yet.  At lunch I was feeding him carrots and noticed a little white and checked and sure enough it had broke through.  It seemed like he was a different boy after, full of his smiles.  It looks like the other tooth will be here soon and it's all down hill from there! 

Heart Ball 2012

Last year we attended the Heart Ball since Thad was one of the heart heroes.  This year the AHA invited   Mended Little Hearts kids to Heart ball 2012.   The kids got all dressed up and stole the show! 

My survivor!

They wanted the kids to hand out the flashing heart pins when people bid during the special appeal. They all wore "Survivor" sashes and had a red balloon tied to their wrist.  Thad did a good job handing out the pins but he wanted to hand them out to everyone even if they didn't bid! I'm always worried what Thad will do in these situations when I really need him to be good......... He did great handing out the pins even though he wanted to take a bite of someone's dessert and wanted to take everyone's paddle.  Luckily he's cute and can get away with things.  After we handed out the pins they called our group to the front and introduced MLH.  Last year at the ball they had a party up for bid for MLH.  The AHA decided to do another one this year so they wanted our group up at the front so people could see the kids.  500 people staring at us, bright lights and lots of photographers (I was really hoping Thad would behave during this).......at this point he didn't want his balloon tied around his wrist, he wanted to let it go.  I managed to save the balloon from going up to the ceiling and I held it instead while trying to smile for the pictures.  Then my sweet little boy decided to run away from me.  I took a deep breathe and started after him.  There were tables everywhere close together and he was running in and out of them until he made it over the dance floor to the back of the room.  The entire crowd was laughing and the announcer said "One of our heart survivors is making a run for it!" I'm slowly making my way in and out of the tables trying to catch up to him carrying his red balloon.  My first thought is "I can't believe I thought he could stand up there for 5 minutes, I'm so embarrassed!" Hearing all the people laughing and them telling me along the way I better catch up, or how cute he was made it a little easier.  I found out he was giving people high fives as he was running past them.  

Adam called it, he knew this would happen and I told him he would listen and be a good boy.  Adam said he wanted no part in going to the front so he was going to hang with Ollie in the back.  He said he heard the announcer make the comment about one of them getting away and he knew right away that it was Thad.  Silly silly boy, but I wouldn't have him any other way.  He is full of life and that is what being a survivor is all about.  I was worried about what the people would think of him running but it actually went okay and people called him the "runner boy."  

When we arrived they weren't ready for us yet so we got to hang out with the Star Wars characters.  Thad wasn't too sure about Darth Vader so he wanted me in the picture with him.  I have to admit, he is a little scary! He is so tall and just creepy in all black.  

 This was Thad's favorite.  He told me when he grows up he wants to be one of the white one's. But then he informed me he would be gone for a long time if he became one of these guys.

The storm trooper even let him try on his helmet.  He looks pretty darn cute in it!

I'm glad we had a distraction with the Star Wars guys and they were great to take all the pictures with our kids and families.  

It was a such a fun night.  Two people ended up bidding on a party for Mended Little Hearts.  The AHA raised over $6000 for our party and now we get to have two parties where they plan everything for our group.  Last year we went to a Sky Sox game and had dinner.

Happy Heart Day! Celebrate a survivor and remember an Angel.

Oliver- 8 Months

Oliver is 8 months old already.  He is showing more of his personality every day.  He uses his voice to tell us if he is mad or happy!  I can officially say his first word is Momma.  At first he was just making the mmm sound but now it is clearly Momma.  He will say it if I leave the room or if Adam is holding him and he wants me.  

He hasn't really started crawling just yet.  He gets on all fours and rocks back and forth.  He can move around on his belly by scooting and pivoting.  He mostly pushes himself backwards to get somewhere and then he will get his leg stuck under the couch. Silly boy.

He started off in the center of the room sitting up and managed to get over to the kitchen area.

He loves to play peek-a-boo.  He would put his blanket over his face and bring it down with the biggest smile.

Peek-a-boo!

He also destroys things.  He has his basket of toys and he gets over to them and dumps them all out.  Thad has made a few comments that it is messy in the living room but he didn't do it, Oliver did.

After he dumped his toys he went for the basket of burp rags and dumped those out too. It keeps him occupied for a few minutes.  

He is trying out a sippy cup with water and seems to like chewing on it instead.  He loves to eat.  Sometimes I have to hide what I eat because he grunts at me and gives me a smile that says "I want some!" I am making his baby food and he gums other foods like pasta and bread.  Thad is a good help and feeds his brother.  Ollie ends up with food everywhere but Thad likes to help.  No teeth yet and I keep saying those bottom ones are going to come through any day.  

I don't have the heart to kick him out of bed yet even though I'm really ready for a good night sleep without being smooshed between Ollie and Adam (I'm sure Adam is ready too so he isn't hanging off the bed!).  We kicked Thad out when he turned 8 months but honestly I don't want to do the "cry it out" technique so I figured I can do it a little longer for him :) Plus I get more snuggle time because before I know it he will be too busy to give his momma snuggles.  

CHD Awareness Week

CHD Awareness Week is February 7-14th.  Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 birth defect in the world.  By the 28th day of pregnancy, the baby's heart is formed.  A CHD occurs usually before the mother even knows she is pregnant.  CHD's do not discriminate- they affect all types of families.  

Here are a few CHD facts:

* CHD's are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths

*About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with a CHD, approximately 40,000 per year

*There are 35 known heart defects with more being identified every year

*Nearly twice as many children die from CHD's in the US each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHDs

*40,000 units of blood are used each day, half of that is used by CHDers

Before I was pregnant with Emma I had never heard of a Congenital Heart Defect let alone think that I would ever be affected by this.  CHD's are real.  We need more research so one day they can find a cure.  CHD's have affected our lives forever.  Most of you know I am a part of Mended Little Hearts.  I am a co-program coordinator and we have a great group of families.  We are very involved in the community and this week for CHD week we are having our 2nd annual Blood Drive with 6 locations this year.  If you live in Colorado Springs, please come out to one of our blood drives and donate.  

February 7

Blood Drive- Stetson Hills Police Station

4110 Tutt Blvd 10 am-2 pm

Blood Drive- Culver’s (Falcon Location)

 7220 N. Meridian Rd. 12 pm-4 pm

February 8

Blood Drive- Dodge Dealership

7455 Austin Bluffs 10 am-2 pm

YoYogurt Fundraiser (Briargate/Union) 

11 am-10 pm 

(Must mention Mended Little Hearts)

February 9

Blood Drive- Remington College 

6050 Erin Park Drive (on Academy between Vickers and Lehman Dr.) 9 am-12 pm

Parent Support Group Meeting

Dr. Duster will be our guest speaker

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Location: Serco- 1090 N. Newport Rd 

Building B (Powers/Aeroplaza)

Dinner and childcare is provided.

New families are always welcome.

February 10

Blood Drive- Walmart (Palmer Park/Powers) 1575 Space Center Drive 2 pm-6 pm

February 11

Quick Quack Carwash Fundraiser

4285 Austin Bluffs Pkwy

7 am-7 pm

Support a “little” heart while getting your car washed! Quick Quack will donate $2.00 for every Good, Better or Best car wash

February 14

Blood Drive- Jackson Elementary

4340 Edwinstowe Ave

11:30 am-4:30 pm

Thad's 4 Year heart-i-versary

**Warning- pictures are graphic**

Four years ago today Thad had his open heart surgery.  It's always hard looking at these pictures and remembering that day but it reminds us of what he went through.  Not being able to hold my baby for a week and watching him lay there so helpless, not knowing what the outcome was going to be.  The only good thing is he'll never remember that day or his recovery.  I hope and pray he will never have to go through another surgery again. 

  Thad is one tough little boy.  With everything that has happened in our lives, we know that each and every day is a blessing and not a guarantee.  Hug your babies and always tell them how much they mean to you! Thad has brought so much joy to our lives.  He is our little miracle.

And now look at the boy he has grown into.  He is a crazy-fun-loving boy who likes to make faces! Adam had a talk with Thad now that he is 4 years old and told him when daddy is gone he is the man of the house.  Ever since that talk Thad has told me several times that he is a good boy because he is the man of the house just like daddy told him! 

He loves his brother (look at the face Ollie is giving him! He knows he's crazy too).

Behind your Scar
By Stephanie Husted

Sometimes I have those “moments”,
When I think…life’s just not fair,
Then I think of all you’ve been through,
And I see the scar you bear.

... A faded line right down your chest,
Made with such careful precision,
We wanted you to have a chance,
Could there be any other decision?

And so I trace that “perfect” scar,
Made with the utmost care, And I realize there is purpose, Behind this scar you wear.

What have you taught us? You’ve taught us how to face a storm, (Some things are just out of our hands)
Life has no handy guidebook, (Things don’t always go as you’ve planned)

People come into our lives,
(Sometimes it is just for a season)
But God brings them into our lives,
(And I know that He must have a reason)
Normal, uneventful days,
(The kind that we always hoped for)
These are the days I say, “Wow God”, We just never know what lies in store.

If I can place a feeding tube, Without even getting distraught, Perhaps, maybe, I might be… Much stronger than I thought.

It’s okay to be afraid,
And it’s alright to cry,
It’s okay to feel lost sometimes,
It’s even okay to ask…why?

You face life with courage, (Knowing God set you apart) Every little thing you do,
You do with all of your heart.

No crystal ball exists for us,
(To see us through each strife) We only have one wish for you…
An ordinary life.

You’ve taught us to love one another,
(Helping each other to cope)
You’ve taught us compassion for others,
You’ve taught us to never lose hope.

You already have quite a story, Which you can someday share, And I can see it’s beauty, Behind that scar you wear.

A pirate parrrrrrty!

Thad had a pirate party for his birthday.  We went to the Y with the pirate bouncy and the kids had a blast! It was a full hour of running and jumping.  The kids all had rosy cheeks and were worn out.  I hope they all slept good last night! 

Of course the party favors were pirate patches, tattoos, pirate hooks, coins and a treasure map.  Everything a pirate needs!

Thad opened his presents from us in the morning.  Ollie got him this slinky dog and he loves it.

Daddy and the birthday boy

Papa Steve and Grandma Luci surprised us and came for the weekend.  He was excited to have them here.  Thad got his own camera from them.  His cousin Macie got one for Christmas and that is all he has talked about.  So he got one for his birthday and loves taking pictures.  It plays games and has cool frames you can put around the pictures.  He told me he won't touch my camera if I don't touch his camera! 

He got a cool fire truck, fire gear, a Cars driving game that hooks up to the TV, and a Dino Dan DVD.  

I found this cool pirate cake at Sam's.  Thad thought it was pretty neat his picture was on the cake.

The bouncy was a big hit.  They climbed up the back of the ship and slid down.  I even got in there for a little bit and almost got trampled by 10 kids!

Thad and his friends. A few of them were trying to escape back into the ship!

After all that bouncing we filled them with cake and juice.  

Thad was so excited to open more presents.  After the first present he was ready to go home and play with it! He had lots of friends who helped him open his gifts.  He has some great friends who gave him some cool gifts- hot wheels track, dinosaurs, toy story toys, and much more.  He also got fun play dough sets, books, puzzles and learning cards.  

He was excited to play with his firetruck this morning when he woke up.  

He has told me a few times today how much fun he had on his birthday.  I love seeing his face light up.  He is such a great little boy!  

Happy 4th Birthday Thad!

Well, it's official. We have a 4 year old! In the past few months Thad has turned into a such a big boy.  A big boy that doesn't want to take naps anymore (sigh).  He would rather take a "rest" in mommy's bed and watch cartoons.  He understands more, he still has meltdowns but not as many, he helps me more around the house and is great with his little brother.  He says and does the funniest things.  He thinks if he asks me to do something for him and adds the word beautiful to the end I will do it.  For example, he'll say "Mommy, will you get my baby (blanket) for me, beautiful???" Then he gives me this little head nod with a sweet smile.  How can I resist that!  He is my little helper around the house and reminds me if I forget to do something, even if I told him he couldn't play with a toy because he was being naughty and I forgot, he will remind me and say, "remember mommy, I can't play with my toy because I was a bad boy." Then he promises a thousand times he will never be a naughty boy again. Ha!

Thad is definitely all boy! He is rough, tough and not afraid of anything! He loves riding his bike, wrestling with daddy, and going to the park.  Being this rough tough boy he is also a sensitive boy which I love.  He can cry easily but he also is concerned when he see's something that isn't right.

This year we decided to do a pirate party with his friends from preschool.  We made pirate chocolate suckers for his snack at school.  They were a big hit! He is having a pirate party later today with about 10 other 3-4 year olds! Oh boy, it will be a fun time :)

I found this treasure chest unfinished at the store and Adam stained it, added handles and a padlock so he can keep his treasures in it.  I painted the letters and added the skulls to it.  It turned out so cute! 

Our pirate birthday boy!

We are so blessed to have Thad as our son.  He is sweet, sensitive, funny, loving, and caring.  I can't wait to see the man he will grow up to be, just as long as it doesn't come too fast! Happy birthday to my big 4 year old!

Oliver- 7 months

Oliver just turned 7 months old and is such a fun and happy baby!  He is such a good little boy and is starting to get more expressive! His new trick is sticking out his tongue.  If we stick ours out he immediately sticks his out.  He is also spitting or blowing bubbles and thinks that is pretty fun.

He loves the water just like Thad.  His favorite thing is taking a shower and trying to grab or lick the water coming down.  He is eating more foods and tries reaching for my food if I don't feed him quick enough.

He sits very good but falls over occasionally.  He isn't too interested in rolling over anymore but when he is on his belly he pushes himself up.  He will be crawling soon enough so I will enjoy that he isn't mobile yet!

He loves his jumperoo and bounces like a maniac! He is definitely a momma's boy.  I am home all day with him and I feed him so he has grown very fond of mommy! He does this new thing if Adam is holding him he reaches for me and moves his whole body towards me! Soon enough he will be all about daddy so I'm enjoying this! 

I say it every month but it's hard to believe he is already 7 months old.  He is growing up way to fast.  He amazes me everyday and I'm so thankful we have Mr. Oliver in our lives.  Thad and Ollie get along great and Oliver likes to "pick" on Thad when they are sitting on the couch.  He is good about grabbing hair and faces and at this point Thad laughs when Oliver gets him! 

Denver Dynamites

Mended Little Hearts had the priviledge of going to Denver to watch a pro soccer game- The Denver Dynamites.  The head coach, Chuck is a part of the leadership team for MLH and invited our families to participate in the home opener game in January.

My Aunt and Uncle from Arvada came to watch and was a big help with Thad and Oliver.  Adam was asked to help keep the stats during the game so they helped me maintain the kids!

Chuck had some special plans for our group.  We were invited out to the field to greet and cheer on the pros! The kids all had fun giving high fives to the players.

Chuck also had a surprise for Mary and I.  We are the co-program coordinators for MLH and he gave us both a signed soccer ball.  Chuck has done so much for our group and we are so greatful he included MLH in this event.

Thad decided he needed to come with me on the field and took the soccer ball and started playing! He definitely knows how to ham it up for the crowd!

After the game we took a team picture.  We had a fun night and even though it was only in Denver it was nice to get away for a few hours!

Great Blog- MUST READ!

If you need a laugh you need to check out this blog: People I want to punch in the throat.  I found it through face book and can't stop reading it.  She is from Kansas and tells it like it is.  She is brutally honest and says what most of us are thinking but are to afraid to really say it.  She does cuss a lot but she is hilarious! It is laugh-out-loud-funny! Happy reading.

P.S. Make sure you read her elf on the shelf post- it's what made her blog famous!

Fun pictures

Oliver loved looking at the lights and playing with them.  I saw this idea on Pinterest and had to try it out.  He would have sat there for hours if we let him! They turned out great in black and white.