Bubble Bath

Eli and Daddy may have used a little too much bubble bath last night!!

Enjoying The Weather

We've been taking advantage of this wonderful weather and going for walks almost every day.

So Sweet

Yesterday I found Eli "nursing" a baby doll. I love this. : )

Back In Business

I assembled our double jog stroller this week.....we are back in business! I am THRILLED about this!! I LOVE to run and go on walks!! : )

Prayer for a Baby with a Special Heart

Please, please pray for this family....they heard some very hard reports today about their sweet baby boy, Caleb. My heart is breaking for this sweet family.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/calebmay

Sitting....Almost

Chase is so close to sitting on his own. He does well for a while if there is a Boppy around him to help balance a little. I would love for him to be sitting before his surgery next month.

Chase health update: Chase continues to gain weight although it has slowed down a bit. At last check he was 12 pounds, 12 ounces. Chase's malrotation surgery is scheduled for March 3 at Children's. He is expected to be in the hospital for 4 - 5 days. We are praying for a successful surgery and a quick recovery. I told Eli about the surgery (very briefly and simply) and told him that Chase will stay at the hospital and then come home when the doctors say it's OK. This is the same thing I told him when I was pregnant. Eli's response....Chase is in your tummy?? Proof again that my sweet boy doesn't understand this! : )

More Birthday Fun

Eli waited very patiently to open a few gifts from Ga-Ga & Granny and his Alaska Cousins

Eli LOVES hockey!!! Justin, John-John, Jessie & Jack got him some hockey gear. He loves it!! We put it on several times a day. He hasn't asked to wear it out of the house yet, but I'm SURE that day will come. So...if you see us at the grocery store or at a restaurant in hockey gear, please don't be surprised. : )

Eli's Birthday Party

We had Eli's party at one of his favorite places, Pump It Up, Jr. It was so fun to have the whole place to ourselves. Eli and his friends had a great time!!!!

I decided to make Eli's cake this year. Thankfully, Dalaina has WAY more experience with making cakes than I do, so the cake was a success!! Thanks, Dalaina!!!!

Eli's Mom and Dad had fun at Pump It Up too!!!

Isaac, Abigail, Eli, Ryan, Rowan, Micah, Jackson, Hayden

It was a little difficult to get a group picture!! 13 kids sitting & smiling??!!!

Madison, Isaac, Abigail, Eli, Ryan, Rowan, Micah, Jackson, Hayden & Gabe (giving instructions) ;)

It was amazing how all the kids sat at the table and ate pizza and drank juice. I think they were just so hungry from all the playing!!!

Eli's party was on February 14. In addition to Valentine's Day, February 14 is also CHD Awareness Day. Chase gave all the mommies at the party a bookmark to remind them how important CHD awareness is to our family.

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

It's hard to believe, but Elijah is 3 today!! Happy Birthday, Eli!!!!!!!!

Heart Day

You Don't Have To Look Far

CHD impacts so many families. Here are three precious children with CHD. Behind each child is an amazing story and an amazing family. Please pray for these families.

By supporting CHD awareness and research, you are supporting precious children like these:

Jameson

Kirsten

Logan
Born January 22, 2004
Born in Heaven March 22, 2004

An amazing fact...I knew these families BEFORE Chase's diagnosis...Proof that sometimes God places people in your life for very specific reasons!!!

In Her Words....

....fantastic....excellent....amazing....phenominal. These are some of the words Chase's cardiologist used today when giving us the results of his tests. Chase had a chest x-ray, EKG and sedated echo today and the results were wonderful! The small holes in the muscle of his heart are now completely gone. His pulmonary veins look very good and strong. He still has a slight murmur from his transposition surgery, but she is not concerned in the slightest....it is not distressing the right side of the heart. Unless she notices a change in Chase, he will not have another sedated echo for 6 months!

We are so thankful for this little boy and his amazing progress. She cleared him for surgery, so on Thursday we will likely schedule his malrotation surgery.

Thank you so much for praying for Chase. God continues to amaze us.

Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) Awareness

It is no secret, CHD changed our family. February 7-14 is CHD Awareness Week. In honor of CHD Awareness, I'll be posting 7 entries in 7 days that are directly related to CHD.

I'm a little behind, but here is Entry #1:

CHD FACTS:

• Congenital Heart Defects or CHD’s is the #1 birth defect and the #1 cause of infant death related to birth defects.
• 1 out of every 100-150 babies born will have a CHD.
• 1 in 10 of those born with CHD will have a fatal defect.
• It is estimated that 1,000,000 Americans have a CHD. It is estimated that 35,000-40,000 babies born each year with a CHD.
• In the US, there are nearly twice as many deaths due to CHD than that of all forms of childhood cancers combined. Yet there is 5 times more research for pediatric cancer than for CHD.
• The cost of inpatient surgery alone for CHD’s exceeds 2.2 billion dollars per year.
• There are approximately 35 know Congenital Heart Defects.
• Causes for CHD are still being studied. While there is no known definitive cause it is said that both genetics and environmental factors can play a role. Scientists have actually identified over 100 mutations that are directly linked to the heart.
• There is no known cure for CHD. However the mortality rate after surgery has significantly decreased in the past 20-30 years. On average it is about 5% compared to the 30% it was.
• With advances in medicine, many of those born with CHD will have their first and sometimes only corrective surgery before age 2.
• Many of those living with CHD go on to lead normal to near normal lives. Those with complex CHD’s will also go on to lead longer and active lives than before. Most will have some physical limitations, but almost all learn to move pass them.

Source: American Heart Association & March of Dimes

A Conversation With Eli

Mommy: Eli did you do this??
Eli: Yes.
Mommy: Why did you do this? You know you're not supposed to do this.
Eli: I know, Mommy.
Mommy: Was it an accident?
Eli: No
Mommy: No??
Eli: No, Mommy. I did it on peppers.

: )

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Michelle.


The rules:


1. Find the 4th folder in the pictures on your computer.


2. Choose the 4th picture in that folder.


3. Explain that picture.


4. Tag 4 other people.







This picture was taken on the airplane last summer. Eli and I were going to Alaska to visit my sister. Eli was facinated by all the buttons and lights above our seats and was dying to push them all. : )