Fun Friday

Today we packed up and traveled to a nearby splash park with some awesome Mommy friends and a whole gaggle of little boys. I am quite certain everyone had a blast. I know for sure than one little boy had a ton of fun!!!

Ready?...

Set?...

Go!

Not my favorite pic but it shows his concentration on the water,
and that he is absolutely soaking wet!

This Momma said to be sure to point out her boy was completely dry while Jayden,
well, nothing about him was dry.
I believe we may have a little fish on our hands :)
Sounds perfect!

Wordless Wednesday

Chi-town, USA

Over the past two months, Daddy J has been traveling an insane amount for work. When he said he may be going to Chicago 2 weeks in a row, I quickly responded that Baby J and I could pack up and go too. He was very much on board and his boss said good idea. (We are so thankful he has a boss who is a Christian man who values family over work! We have experienced the total opposite; let's just say he is an answer to prayers!) So we packed up and headed north. It is a requirement that Baby J be a traveler because we love to go places and see things! Baby J and I hung out in the hotel while Daddy was at work during the days. Wednesday night we were able to meet up with Daddy's uncle, aunt, and cousins at a pub his aunt and uncle partially own, Ballydoyle Irish Pub and Restaurant in Downers Grove. Good food, good drinks, and good company! This trip wasn't a pleasure trip-certainly a business trip for Daddy-but more of a change-of-scenery trip for Mommy. Baby J enjoyed his naps and some time in the pool, rough-housing with Daddy on the king size bed, and having many new things to climb. It was nice to getaway and certainly nice to see the Chicago Rakers! Plans are to make Chi-town an annual trip. Fellow travelers always welcome!

"Baby J, where's your nose?" Nice.

We didn't want to be so close to Chicago without seeing the city so we drove home via a downtown route. Baby J stayed awake until the city scape came into view and then fell asleep. We wanted him to see the skyscrapers but he just couldn't make it, despite Mommy's best efforts to try and wake him! Notice the Sear's Tower behind him.

Rest areas are a blessing from above! They are the perfect spot to release toddlers from car seats to run free, find sticks, and chase birds!

Time Flies

***1.5 years *** 18 months *** 78 weeks *** 546 days *** 13,104 hours *** 786,240 minutes *** 47,174,400 seconds***

On Monday, this became Baby J's age. He was born on a Monday and fittingly turned 18 months young this past Monday, the 18th. He has become the center of our lives, the joy in our hearts, the thoughts in our minds, the smiles on our faces, and the laughter in our world. Being his Mommy is a dream come true, literally. He is my answer to a desperate tearful cry to God and I cannot help but thank God for him on a daily basis as "Every good and perfect gift is from above...James 1:17".


Baby J,
Here are some things you have been up to these days:
1. You made your 2nd trip to Chicago on your 18 month birthday. This may become an annual family trip.
2. All things that fly, you call "bees". And when it flies away you say, "Bye, bee!"
3. Instead of saying 'MawNana' as Kaleb and Kameron call her, you call her "Nanny". She says you can call her whatever you want. Time will tell if the name 'Nanny' sticks.
4. When it is time for a nap or bedtime, you ask to go to bed. You say "night-night", ask for your "nannie" (which is also you paci), and climb into the chair to be rocked.
5. You love Elmo. We watch him nearly every day.
6. It seems you will love the water. You like to swim and don't mind water in your face. You kick your legs and paddle your arms when Mommy encourages you to swim.
7. You have a farmer's tan: the back of your neck, arms, and legs are tanned. The rest of you, not so much!
8. Your hair gets blonder as the weeks of summer pass, just like your Daddy's when he was little.
9. Complete strangers regularly tell us how cute you are. (duh!)
10. When we mimic you, you laugh hysterically.
11. You repeat words you hear us say. Your vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds!
12. You are beginning to deliberately test limits. If you're told not to go somewhere you will look at who gave you instruction while taking tiny baby steps toward the place you're not to be going to.
13. You call white dogs "Max" because our neighbor's have a little white dog whose name is Max.
14. After a drink of soda, you shook your head "no" and scrunched up your face. You were not a fan.
15. M&M's are your new favorite treat. When you have them your eyes light up, eyebrows raise, and you say "mmmm" while usually signing "more" then "please".
16. Potty training for you is on Mommy's radar. You recognize when you poot, poo-poo, and sometimes pee-pee.
17. At the zoo, you loved the fish. We took you to Petco and you loved the fish there too. We may look into getting you a Beta.
18. Your new favorite song is "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". At the end of the song you starting vigorously signing for "more".
Thank you, Baby J, for making our lives so much more enjoyable, laughable, and full of adventure! You're an amazing toddler and are perfect for us! We love you incredibly! Even when you pose for pictures doing this!

 

Green Thumb Work: 2011

Grow, cells! Grow!

If you've been following our nephew Kameron's journey, you know that Monday, June 27, was his new beginning. He received bone marrow stem cells from an angel donor. The stem cells were harvested that same morning and he received them that night! Is that not an absolute miracle in itself?! It just goes to show that God is still in the business of miracles!

Now that we are in the post-transplant days, we have a new motto: Grow Cells Grow!. This motto reminds me of a children's book we read quite frequently in this house, "Go, Dog! Go!" In honor of Kameron and his new fighter cells, I've written a new rendition for "Go, Dog! Go!"

"Grow, Cells! Grow!"

Cells. Big cells. Little cells. Big cells and little cells.

Red cells and white cells.

Old Kameron cells going out. New stem cells going in.

Grow, cells! Grow!

Some stem cells going down in bone.

Grow, cells! Grow!

Stem cells outside his bone. Stem cells inside his bone.

Engraftment goes up. Kameron cells go down.

"Do you like us new cells?"

"I do not like you, new cells!"

"Good bye," say the angel donor cells cheerfully.

"Good bye," grump the Kameron cells.

Big red cells. Little white cells. Blood-clotting platelet cells.

Strong healthy donor cells are in and up.

Grow, cells! Grow!

Stem cells make red cells. Red cells carry oxygen.

Go, cells! Go!

Stem cells make white cells. Neutrophils go up.

Stem cells make platelets. Go, platelets! Go! Stop that blood flow!

Cells at work. Work, cells! Work!

Kameron at play. Play, Kameron! Play!

"Do you like us new cells, now?"

"I do not like you new cells, at all!"

"Good bye,"

say the angel donor cells slyly,

"and GOOD RIDDANCE!"

We love you bunches and bunches Kameron and think and pray for you a kajillion times a day! Baby J cannot wait to play bubbles with you :)

Stay strong and we love you!