Tutus and Lollipops

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A Little Holiday Cheer!

Bought 2 extra trees this year...for the family room and the playroom....didn't have to buy 1 decoration for them...used what I had...didn't turn out bad if I say so myself!

Gingerbread house making with Aunt Jo Jo

Our family tree is my least favorite of the three...every year I change my mind and want something new....did not feel like spending the money this year so it's pretty bland...but looks ok when the lights are on!
Just gearing up for Christmas and then Ahna's visit on the 27Th! :) I also FINALLY booked our vactaion to Cancun!! We are going in March with our dear Kingsburg friends Glen and Emily....Nate's mom is coming out to watch the girls!!!!! WAHOO!!! Check you all later!...Merry Christmas!

Turkey Day!

Had a great Thanksgiving this year! Nate's mom, sister and brother came to visit so we had a big bash with them and my crazy family! The food was out of this world!!!

The table...Watching the intense Bronco game!

Jordan and I attempted to go midnight shopping at the Castle Rock Outlets...drove a half an hour there...to be on the off ramp for a half an hour to decide to turn around....those people were CRAZY!

Happy 1st Birthday Sissy!!!!

Sissy's Stats:

Walking: yes (still like she's a drunkin' sailor)

Talking: Mama, Dada, Dog (go figure we don't even have one!)

Signs: More, All Done, and sometimes we get Please

Teeth: 9...seriously this girl could eat a steak no problem!

Favorite Activity: Being in mommy's arms (very inconvenient I might add)

Can't get the girl to stand still for a second!
Wouldn't ever miss a meal!
OK FINE....Hi I'm Jen and I'm addicted to matching my girls outfits!!!!!!

OK so I tried with the cupcake cake...it looks pretty good from a distance!!!

We just had a family party for her at our house...

Things have just continued to get crazier and crazier around here. I've been working 4 nights a week! Not gonna lie, it has felt amazing to finally be able to pay down a few of our extra bills...MYSELF!!! Nate has been such a huge help!! He takes such great care of the girls while I'm gone and even sometimes babysits our friends 2 girls...(we trade hour for hour and it is amazing!) I even come home to a clean house! Thank you my love!!!!

Immediate Prayer Request

UPDATE #4 (Friday the 20th) "Miss Emerson had a very good night! Her swelling has come down tremendously, her blood pressures and heart rate have been lower, for her-probably normal for most kids, and she is peeing TONS! The nurses even gave Emmy a purple bow for her hair for being such a good girl!"

UPDATE #3: "The doctors have said Emerson has suffered Liver and Kidney damage that isn't necessarily permanent. They've made sure to let us know that she is very sick, and they are hopeful, but it will be a long recovery"

UPDATE #2: After having 2 cardiac arrests yesterday..."Emerson made it through the night. She is still having problems with her blood pressure, but the doctors are watching her very closely. It's gonna be a rough week."

UPDATE: "The doctors have had to reopen Emerson's chest because her blood pressure and heart rate have dropped. Still waiting..."

A family that I've connected with over the past year has a 1 year old WS daughter, Emerson. She just got out of her 2nd heart surgery a few minutes ago. She had to go on bypass and has been having some problems ever since. "She has been having irregular rhythms and has needed shocked and chest compressions. She is stable for the moment but the doctors say it will be minute by minute for the first 24 hours"

Please please pray for her! These next few hours are vital!

May I Come In Now?

My little cat and mouse!

Can't get them to stand still for a second!

Getting ready to hit the street with cousin Nora...

First house Hailey says "Trick or Treat"



"What do you say Hailey?" (trying to get her to say Thank you)


Hailey responds "May I come in now?"

hahahah

Nate and I got to go to a "grown up party"...can you tell what we were?

Had to work on Halloween...it was fun to see everyone all dressed up Holleywood style.

We've had a very eventful week with all of Hailey's annual tests. We were at the Children's Hospital for 3 hours on Monday doing labs and looking at her kidney's and today we had her Cardiology apt. Her heart has not progressed much. I guess we just need to wait and see. It all depends on if her SVAS grows and she grows. Since it is a narrowing of the valve if it does not grow with her that is when it becomes a problem. And just received a call from her doctor that all the other test results are fine! Praise Jesus!!!

Not much new other wise...just getting ready for the holidays!

Snow Day

The snow has been falling!! Hailey has her first snow day from school today and Nate's been plowing all night!!!! We've had our taste of fun though...

One Year Ago...

It has been exactly 1 year since we received Hailey's WS diagnosis. As I rushed home from the doctor and sat at this computer and typed in the google box "Williams Syndrome," I had no idea what a huge part of my life it would become! It is definitely something that I deal with on a daily basis. Just a few days ago a little WS girl, Sophie, with the same heart condition as Hailey, (SVAS) died due to complications from her heart surgery. I can't even imagine what this family is going through it. If you could lift them up in your prayers...

I treasure each and every day that I get to spend with Hailey! As she wakes me up in the morning with "Good morning mommy! It's time to get up! Come on you can do it!" to literally her 20th time asking if she can have a cookie! We are so blessed to have her in our lives and to be her parents! Hailey has her annual tests and her cardiology exam coming up on Nov. 4th. (I am still bitter that for 2 1/2 years the California doctors led me to believe that Hailey had a simple heart murmur when we were later informed that it was actually a SVAS) We are so lucky not to have hardly any medical issues at this point. As I check out my WS friends on Facebook or other blogs...most kids have so many health issues!

I do however, still feel clueless in so many areas. Knowing when to step in and when to let her be, when to tell people and when to let them think what they will, when to discipline and when to let go...I'm sure as a parent in general so many people deal with this. Hailey recently had a school field trip to a nature exhibit that I attended with her. The guest speaker didn't know that she was special needs. As I stood in the back holding the baby...anxiety spread through my body as the speaker had to tell Hailey numerous times to sit down and not to touch her props. "Do I go up there...do I intercede, do I let all the other parents think that I'm a bad mom and that my child is crazy or do I just let it be?" I mean it is just a silly preschool field trip that at the end of the day doesn't really matter in life at all! I gave in, handed the baby off, and sat amongst the children with Hailey in my lap so that I could help her to be what I wanted her to be at that moment, just like the other children. We then went on a nature walk and as I was calling Hailey's name for probably the tenth time to catch up, one of the teachers' looked at me and said "we just love her so much and are so lucky that she gets to be at our school." That was the moment (for that day) that I decided it's OK for her to be different and her strengths out weigh her weaknesses. It is, however, something that at those special moments, I have to remind myself of everyday!

BIG NEWS: Hailey qualified to take the bus to and from school everyday!!! They pick her up at our house at 11:10 and don't drop her off until 3:45!! It is unbelievable how much I get done in that time! (I will also be able to work!) It was always such an ordeal to take her to school (10 min drive) and then walk her to the back temp building...esp with another baby!!!! We are so thankful for the bus now!! I was definitely shaking when I took this pic and a tear might have shed as I headed back inside!!!

On another note...if you could be praying. Nate's boss's wife (Nate and his boss are very close) just found a huge cancerous tumor in her intestines. It's too big to operate on and she has to take a pill for 3-4 months to try and shrink it. They need a miracle...good thing I believe in miracles!!! Nate was just starting to slow down a bit and I'm sure he will have to step it up to help out!

To make things a little bit crazier...I got a job! As a server at an adorable Mexican Catina in a nice new area outside of Denver. I work 3ish nights a week and absolutely love it!!! It gives me a chance to have a life outside my life (ha) and Nate a chance to spend some catch up time with the girls!

Here's a few videos of my honey's... we'll catch ya'll later! (Connie they are mostly for you!! We wouldn't want you to miss a beat!!!)

Just Trying To Stay Warm and Healthy!

Home Away From Home

What a refreshing and amazing trip to Cali!...It was unbelievable to be able to spend 5 straight, uninterrupted days with my best friends in Kingsburg....we stayed up late and got up early and barely had time to breathe! I remember driving through Kingsburg 5 years ago and wondering to myself "what the heck kind of people would live here?" I still don't understand how they are all crammed into one little town!

Thank you ladies for such an amazing trip and for loving me so much! Thank you to the Silva's "my adopted family" for being so amazing in my life!

I love you Mary...and Scott!!!

My dear friend Jen...(why are all the coolest people named Jen?!?!)

Denver and Amanda...the start of a wonderful life together!

OK have to add in the high light of the trip....Two words "HOEDOWN THROWDOWN!" That's right about 30 of us learned Miley Cyrus' dance and preformed it at the wedding...unbelievable...so wish I got it on tape!

Jen and Emily...there aren't even words!

These girls have such a special place in my heart! I will never let these friendships go...no matter how far away we live! I told everyone that I'm on the 3 month plan and I'm due back in December! (many important people did not get pictured...sorry guys!)

Not to mention my Ahna...who unfortunately was out of town for a funeral :(

Thank you for an amazing vacation!!!
(and thank you to my husband, sister and mom who took wonderful care of my girls!!!!!!)

Being Prepared

As I was preparing for the sitter while I am away...I made a schedule of Ashtyn's typical day...I also thought I would give her a idea of Hailey's typical day: