"Emp Emp Juice!"

Isaac: "Mommy, Emp Emp Juice!'

Shannon: "What? What do you need?"

Isaac: "emp emp juice..." 

Shannon: "You mean Lemonade?"

Isaac: "Oh yeah, mommy. Oh YEAH!"

This past week we have seen an improvement in Isaac trying to say more words. However this also mean I have to be on my "A Game" in Isaac Translation.  I must be very observant about his day and the new things that he encounters. 

Isaac: "Mommy, I wha der bie too."

Shannon: "You want to watch dirk bike shows?"

Isaac: "Yeah, der bie to yows."

Shannon: "Dirk bikes and cars?"

Isaac: "Oh yeah. Der bie, yow towe."

Isaac is a smart boy. When given the alphabet on a piece of paper he can pick out the letters that are asked. He understands numbers and colors. He is wonderfully imaginative and loves to play. It is just talking that has always been the problem. It is frustrating to him and us. There are moments in which he is trying his hardest for us to understand what he needs, but we don't get it. It has been a painful processes to get one or two words, a month at a time, into his vocabulary. But this week the flood gates have opened, and he is saying more and more! 

Isaac is also starting to be more attentive to Eli. He wants Eli to see what he sees, wants Eli to play what he plays, and wants Eli to feel what he feels. It has been really fun to see the interaction, and I am starting to really excited about Christmas! 

Isaac is 3!

Isaac, on his birthday.

1 year!

2 years old!

Dear Isaac,

You are a joy. As the oldest in our young family, you have taken the brunt of all your parent's misshapes; despite this you have turned out to be wonderfully kind and so much fun. We love your silly looks and wild imagination. You are your daddy's best play mate, and my best co-chef. Isaac, you are a wonderful example to Eli. He loves to be around you even now, and we cannot wait for the day when you two can play "hard core" together all day long. We love you so very much. Happy 3rd Birthday!

Cake was crafted by my friend Brittany Jones

visit her website here!

Isaac would not leave the cakes side. 

For an hour before the guests arrived he stayed right there. 

He loved that thing!

The Idea was that it was a party for Isaac and Eli. 

Isaac's third birthday, and Eli's recovery. Eli was asleep, but that was okay!

Opening up presents. It got crazy! 

Enjoying his gifts through out the day.

Eli happy and alert after the guests left! He loves his fingers. 

Eli playing with Isaac's toys.

Eli is doing well. Got off of oxygen last week. However he does have a bit of a cough, but it is getting better. Sleeping lots more now that he does not have the oxygen on. He is a beautiful, happy 5 month old boy!

Free Photo Sessions!

This is summer has been crazy! 

But during all the stress with Eli, I have tried to find some sanity in improving my self and gaining talents. 

For the Lord hath said, "...that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man many gain other talents..." D&C 82:18. 

First Improvement: Running!

I participated in three 5k races this summer, and continue to run every-other day.

Second Improvement: Sewing!

I love to make things, and this summer I bought a Brother sewing machine and have completed many fun projects.

Third Improvement: Photography! 

It is well known that my husband is very proficient* in the art of photography. 

And I want to learn too! I have created a blog of my learning adventure. 

Please check out and tell me how I am doing. I seriously need positive reinforcement.

Click here!

Here are some shots that I took yesterday of a very willing family:

I want to do this for free, and learn the art of photography whilst* having fun! 

If you are interested, and live in Rexburg, let me know. Seriously.  

*(I have been reading Jane Austen novels, and have been watching movies based on her works. My language is a bit funny at the present time.)

PS If you are intrested in a formal family session, check out Matt's blog at mdud24.blogspot.com

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

The 2009 College Football season has opened! 

Me and Matt are pumped! Though, quite a House Divided. I just love love love the wonderful team Florida State University. 

Matt, though he likes a bunch of teams, is a die hard Boise State University fan. 

ACC vs WAC, though weird, it is what it is. 

I talk smack, Matt talks smack, and WE LOVE IT! 

What is your favorite team, and how do you think they will do?

Home. At Last!

We pulled into our parking lot at 4pm Tuesday afternoon. What a relief! I love being back with my two boys. Matt and I caught up on our sleep yesterday, and this morning I went on a run. Everything is starting to get back to normal. (And college football starts tonight. Awesome!) Though we were only gone two weeks, it felt like months and months. Isaac has grown up so much. Talking more and taking on more responsibility--he love the little jobs we give him. Eli is adjusting well. He is still on oxygen, and probably will be for a while. His naps and nights are starting to get better. Everything looks as good as we can hope. He is probably going to be house bound for the next little bit as he heals, but I don't think he minds. 

Thanks to:

• Our parents. For taking care of us, and Isaac. We know we can always count on yall. 
  
• Ashley&Dave. Babysitting! For dates, Eli appointments--you guys always pull through.
• Family. For all who have prayed for us and sent us blessings, near and far. From Florida to Canada, we have felt your prayers.
• Friends. FRIENDS! Thank you so much for helping me (us) through my lows and highs. I have been very stressed since Eli was born, dreading this surgery. But all of yall have stuck with me, talked with me, and supported me through this. 
• Our Ward (church congregation). Thank you for all who participated in the ward Fast and Prayer for us and the other family. 
• Primary Children's Medical Center Team. What can I say? You guys saved our little boy for us. We will forever be in debt to you. Thanks to the doctors and surgeons, the nurses, and the volunteers. You guys are tip-top. 
• Ronald McDonald House. What a wonderful place! For taking the burden of figuring out a place to stay, what to eat, where to do laundry. Thank you, thank you.

I Have Confidence!

Do you know The Sound of Music? 

"I have confidence." On of my favorite songs. 

Today, this is my version:

"I have confidence in sunshine/ I have confidence in rain/ I have confidence that spring will come again/ Besides what you see I have confidence" 

that Matt will do well on the GMAT today! 

in my mom taking care of Isaac! 

in Eli's doctors! 

that we may return home tomorrow or the next day!

"I have confidence in confidence alone/ Besides which you see I have confidence in me."

Here are some photos of this past week's events:

 

Isaac playing in the water fountain in front of Primary Children's. 

Your only a kid once, right? 

Isaac learned how to play FoosBall, and LOVED it!

And we took him to the zoo.

Holding my boy for the first time! (Thursday afternoon)

A Daddy/Son moment.

A Doc that is pretty cool.

This is when we knew the Eli we love was back: 

Instead of eating, he loves to bite down on the bottle.

His PICU room, and all the works.

Our Happy Boy!

The moment we have been waiting and waiting for happened today. Eli is now out of the PICU and healthy enough to be on the "floor." Meaning, his recovery at the hospital is almost over and we will be able to return home soon. 

We thought we would be going on Friday, however Eli's ventricle (the lower chamber of the heart) started to not pump as well. He looked very sick, and was not eating enough to keep himself hydrated. (I didn't post any pictures of that day. They are hard for me to look at.) After some medication change they felt he was recovering, but kept him in the PICU just for some more observation. 

Eli will be getting a Heart Echo tomorrow, and if all is well we might be able to go home tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday. Hooray!  

The two week old boy named Tucker is doing remarkably well. However they will still need to stay here 4 to 6 weeks! Because he went into heart failure before they could get him here, his kidney's, and a few other things were a bit damaged. But the surgery went well on Wednesday, and hopefully they will be able to hold him soon. Because of the nature of his surgery his chest was kept open--but still bandaged--and that was closed yesterday. Soon he will come off the breathing machine. Parents are doing better, and taking it one day at a time. His defect is HLHS.

A Quick Eli Note

All of Eli's chest tubes are gone. So now we get to hold him! HOORAY! And he has just one IV. It is awesome. He is just so much more comfortable and so much more happy. He actually smiled today! A lot at Matt, because Daddy just makes the funniest faces! 

He will be transfered from the PICU to the SCU (surgical care unit) tomorrow if everything continues this well. We hope that means that we get to come home early next week. All considered everything is going great. 

And every nurse and doctor are in love with Eli. He is known as the one with the long eyelashes. He is a beautiful baby. 

The baby boy named Tucker is doing really well. I found out a bit more of their story: 

They actually brought him home thinking he was a healthy baby boy, then three days later he was sweaty, fussy, unwilling to eat, and taking short-fast breaths. They rushed him to the Rexburg hospital just in time. It took 6 hours to stabilize him. They then boarded a plane and flew here to SLC. When they got to the PICU they were unsure if he was going to make it through the night. They said if they waited 30 more minutes to take him to the Rexburg hospital he would not have survived. He had his surgery yesterday, and is doing really well. The nurse yesterday kept saying that he was "a really really sick baby" when he got here. His heart defect deals with the left side of the heart (Eli's defect is in the right side). His aorta is really small and ill-developed, constricting the blood flow to the body (Eli's problem is too much blood flow to the lungs).