Boogie Down

Ok, this is really short, but it makes me laugh! She was dancing to the music during intermission at the circus.

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Atlanta

We went to Atlanta this weekend. We were hoping to leave on Friday, but had to wait and leave later b/c Iz and Tre' were sick. They both are on antibiotics and feeling much better. We missed out on seeing Grandpa Mike Mike and Granny Liz b/c we had to leave later and we hated that. We'll get back up soon though. We were able to go to the circus at Philips Arena. Iz loved it. She was really tired that afternoon, and as you can see, fell asleep before it was over (how she and Chip could sleep through all that noise, I have NO idea!!). Even though she dozed, she loved the show. This evening she was on the phone w/ GaGa and was telling her about the elephants, horses, little horses, tigers, clowns, etc. It's so funny to listen to her tell a story. :) She really did have a big time and I think us grown ups enjoyed it as well! Thanks Dennis for getting the tickets!!

We were also in town to have Izzy scanned. She's doing just fine, Dr. Claire just recommended that we scan once a year until she's 5. The scan was perfectly normal. :) WOOHOO!!! Even though we weren't seeing anything concerning, it is always nice to get confirmation. We saw Dr. Claire and had a nice visit with her. It was so nice to see her and we ran into some other folks as well. As we were leaving and heading to the parking deck, we also ran into Dr. Hudgins (Catie's neurosurgeon). We hadn't seen him since the day Catie died when he came to say goodbye, so that was a nice surprise.

Iz had a rough morning as she turns out to be a really tough stick (took 6 tries). She cried and kept telling them no, but she didn't fight them. Tre' and I were really proud of how well she did.

Being away from all of the medical stuff for so long, it was odd to be back. It was only for a day, but I saw everything in such a different light. When Catie was sick, it was what we did. It was our life. There was no choice. We took it , ran with it, and just made the best of it. We lived well and lived full and didn't spend a lot of time focusing on all the "stuff" that had to be done to manage her illness. I didn't do a lot of thinking about how it must have felt to be her. Sometimes I wish I'd given her a chance to talk about that more. As we went through the familiar routine yesterday, I was struck by how much kids with cancer and other chronic/serious illnesses must deal with each day. So many procedures and sticks and pokes and prods... It was all new to Izzy and that made me focus a bit more on just how much a child has to go through just for a simple MRI and a quick clinic visit. It really is amazing what must be endured to fight cancer.

Thankfully, all was well, and today all is back to normal for Ms. Izzy. Normal for her usually starts out something like in the picture at the top of the page. There's her crazy morning hair. :) Still as we enjoy what is now our normal, we think of those whose normal is what we did yesterday...

(The other pics are of Chip and then Izzy w/ Dr. Claire, both kids passed out before the circus ended, Izzy goofing off at the circus, and her first taste of cotton candy

Izzy B

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I'm trying to get some of my favorites of Izzy's words and phrases on tape. The way toddlers talk is so cute and I'm afraid I'll forget the cute things she says if I don't get it on tape. At the beginning of this one she's singing "I'm the map, I'm the map..." from Dora.

The Blessing and Other Random Stuff

Izzy is almost always careful to make sure we say the blessing before we eat. She usually helps me say the blessing and it goes something like this (Izzy's words are in ALL CAPS): God is GREAT. God is GOOD. Let us THANKS for our FOOD. Sometimes we continue w/ the 2nd half of the prayer and sometimes we say, "Amen," there. Last night a very hungry Izzy was helping me say the blessing -- she could hardly wait to eat as you will see. Our blessing last night went something like this: God is GREAT. God is GOOD. Let us BITE?? thank him for our BITE???. She was starving and couldn't get through the prayer, just kept asking for a bite. :) I admit to giggling through the, "Amen," and I'm pretty sure that there were some giggles from God as well!

We went to the doctor today for well visits for both kiddos. Both checked out well. Iz is 1/2 an inch shy of 3 feet. Chip is growing like a weed as well and weighed in at an even 10 pounds and had grown 2 1/4 inches, so he's now 23 inches!!! I couldn't believe he had grown that much, but it's kind of funny b/c he's just now as long as Catie was when she was born! She was a LOOOOOONNNNGGGG baby! They both got shots and Iz had to get a finger stick. It was NOT a fun thing for her and she had the tears flowing pretty good. In fact she was so pitiful w/ the finger stick that Doctor Cossio went back and warned Mrs. Sharon (the nurse who gives the shots and who took such amazing care of Catie each week when we checked in there) that Izzy's visit to her was probably not going to be very pleasant. I'm so thankful for those tears though... b/c it means she's not accustomed to things that little kids shouldn't have to be accustomed to. Driving home I was thinking about how Catie got a finger stick pretty much every week of her life from the time she was 1 year old (unless she was inpatient or having her port flushed)... She was a champ at it and that made our life much easier. But I hate that she had to be so accustomed to it, and I pray our other kiddos never have to be.

All is well here. I've got a little less than a month before I head back to work for the last nine weeks of school Soaking it all up day by day.

A couple things before I sign off:

Please pray for Sophia's family as her battle with medulloblastoma recently ended when she joined Catie running through the field of Heaven. We know the ache that fills their hearts all too well and we pray for their peace and comfort. (Carepages - sophiasjourney)

Our friend Abby has her MRI tomorrow morning. She is off treatment for relapsed medullo and we're looking for nothing but good news for her. (Carepages - AbbySmith12)

I believe that I've mentioned our friends the Maxeys here before. We were in treatment w/ their daughter, Maddy early on w/ Catie. She fought a brave fight before winning her victory against cancer as she walked through the gates of Heaven. Kirk and Natalie (mom and dad) have a 2 year old son, Grant, and an infant daughter, Annette. Annette was recently diagnosed w/ ATRT and is toughing it out through some harsh treatment. Today, as a precaution, they are scanning Grant. Please pray that they get the all clear and that they are peaceful as they wait for the results... Pray for Annette and for her treatment to be more effective than they can dream and for them to get to see her grow up. I can't even begin to imagine the road that they're on. (www.maxeyweb.com)

Also continue praying for our friends the Morgans. Ryan is battling relapsed neuroblastoma and his mom, Missy is fighting relapsed breast cancer. (www.superryan.blogspot.com and www.caringbridge.org/visit/missymorgan)

It's Crazy, But It's Oh So Good

So there really aren't many dull moments in our house right now... On occasion in the last few weeks the kiddos have conspired against us at night to keep us from sleeping... There are diaper blowouts (I swear this boy poops more than any I've ever seen), potty accidents from our potty learner, outfit changes from the previously mentioned and from good doses of spit up... that all contributes to the laundry pile... there are dishes to wash, bathrooms to clean... you know the drill... It's busy w/ little ones in the house and it can, on occasion (hahaha) be a bit tiring... BUT... it's oh so good...

Today I ventured to the store for the first time w/ both kiddos in tow. We actually did very well and hit both Target and the grocery store. Forgot a couple of things, but all in all it was good. After Target, we were sitting in the van. I was feeding Chip, Iz was sitting in the seat next to me sucking on the lollipop (I rarely ever bribe, but confess to doing so today to help assure a smooth first shopping trip with both) and bebopping to the music on the radio. I just wanted to hit the pause button... to stay right there in the moment for a bit. To let them stay this small for a while longer. It is so busy, but I do love being a mom to these kiddos and the only thing that could have improved the moment in the van in the Target parking lot would have been if Catie had been doing her thing with us. I happened to actually pause and pay attention to the song Iz was swaying to and it was a country song... "You're Gonna Miss This." "You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back, you're gona wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times, so take a good look around. You may not know it now, but you're gonna miss this." I do know it and plan on trying to remind myself in the middle of the night and during those 2 year old tantrums that pop up at our house more often than I'd like. I will miss this... challenging days and all.

Ok... Iz Takes After Me a little

These pics are all of me (can't you tell by the 70's clothes???). The last one reminds me of Catie but she looks so much like Tre' when he was little. I'll have to drum up some of those to upload. So many of these remind me of Izzy.

Guess Who has Enough Hair for a Pony Tail?

Not Chip!! :) Iz has had enough hair for pigtails for a while, but it being long enough for a pony tail is a new thing for her.