Happy 1st!

Today is Nathan's big day. He is turning ONE. Time really does fly doesn't it!? We are having a birthday party a dress up, Halloween party. Nathan is dressing as Andy and Briana is Raggety Ann. Happy Birthday to the cutest little boy ever. This past year that we have had him in our lives has not only been amazing, but such a blessing. He shows me everyday how blessed I am. With his next surgery coming up I can't help but to think of how brave he is. So far with 3 surgeries under his belt, he is as happy as can be. Yes, he does have his occasional screaming fits, but who doesn't? His personality is coming out more and more, and he is such a lovable little man. He loves to snuggle and smooch. He loves his sister so much and his cloths are his best friends. He loves to suck on the little corners of them. I love his spirit, his beautiful eyes full of life. I love that he is mine Love you little man!

Pre Op #4

Today we headed to the surgeons office for a pre-op visit. Surgery is in 8 days yeeck! I very much dislike pre-op, for a couple of different reasons. One it means surgery is right around the corner, two they do a blood draw every time. Nathan is such a trooper though, he never cries, pretty impressive right. Today we got to the draw lab and there was a baby screaming in the room. Another one in the lobby with some serious rash, (maybe chicken pox) also waiting for a blood draw. His name was called and in we went, such a little trooper. I always tell them the easiest place to draw his blood is his hand, they can never get it in his arm or foot, but his little hand is his lucky charm. First try, three tubes not a peep. He even smiled at the lady, such a sweet angel. For his palate surgery a couple of things we will have to look for: longest surgery so far, possibly longest hospital stay, no solid foods for a good 3 weeks to a month, no-no's for a good 3 weeks too. Dreading the waiting room during surgery, I hate sitting there it's the worst place to be. And this time around we will be there for ooohhh 3-5 hours. You know the saying "God never gives you more than you can handle", man is this little guy strong, he has handled so much and all in less than one year of life. Nathan's birthday is Saturday, 2 days before surgery. Can't wait to celebrate my little man's amazing first year!

Thanksgiving 2011

I feel as though Thanksgiving has becomes so trivial. I'm thankful for my family, kids, husband, health and so on, is usually what everyone says. But this year the normal things seem to mean so much more. I am so thankful for my children, Nathan has been an amazing child, yes he has driven all of us crazy for the past year, well I will take that back for the past year and a half. But he has been so strong and so full of life. His personality is so big. He was born with a boy gene, seriously he is such a boy, in every way. I remember the first time he picked up a toy car, he just knew to drag it on the floor. He is so strong willed, if he wants something he will get it. He will scream, go for it, try to grab it even climb for it now. He will have whatever he wants. Its his way or the highway in his eyes. He is a hand full and I love it. He is the spunk to my life. Briana is a whole other story. She is a girly girl, my little princess. She is very delicate and sensitive. But she is a 3 year old going on 13. She has an attitude at times that drive me crazy. She loves to push the limits and test boundaries. Which although it is really hard to deal with at times, makes for very good teaching moments as well as it shows her personality building more and more everyday. So this year I am thankful for the many blessings in my life, I'm thankful for love, caring, sharing and most of all my FAMILY! If it weren't for my husband I would never have found the strength to be where I am today, I would never have been able to enjoy the wonderful joy of being part of this family. I am so thankful for my little angels, they bring joy to my everyday boring.

Nathan is Walking

Nathan is walking. Yay!! I am so excited for my little man. He has been at the almost walking stage for a good 2 months. The Physical Therapist at the school, and everyone who watched him would say that he was so close to waking. And then today I look over at him and he just let go of Briana's little table and took three steps all on his own. I got so excited that I screamed and scared the poor little guy. I couldn't help it, I was so excited! By this afternoon he was taking about 10 steps and trying to turn. And every time he falls down he manages to get up all by himself, without holding on to anything, with his little butt in the air, haha, I love it. This is so huge, every milestone Nathan accomplishes is another moment of infinite happiness. He is my little gift and every new milestone he reaches is just another reminder of the wonderful blessing he is! Love my little man so much

Getting ready!

We are getting ready for so many different events its crazy! Nathan's 1st Birthday is coming up on the 29th. Then it's Halloween and a day later it's Nathan's 4th surgery. I'm getting tiered and stressed just thinking about it all. You know what I am most stressed about? Surgery! They are always so stressing. They are just very emotional for me, seeing my little man in pain is never fun. Then to top it off there is nothing I can do to take all his pain away. But for now I choose to focus on his birthday, one of the happiest days of my life. Gotta get things ready for his party. We are not doing anything big but something small with the family. It looks like it will be a dress up party, so everyone will have costumes. Should make for good pictures.

A new verse

I was reading a post on Cleft Advocate and came across a bible verse that I have known for a while, but it just hadn't come up for a while. Its John 9: 1-3 "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." I have help on to Psalms since I was pregnant with Nathan but this verse is pretty cool. I remember when I was pregnant with Nathan and one of the first things I did was blame myself. I kept thinking that I was cooking this baby in my oven. I must have done something wrong. My prayer in the beginning was for God to fix whatever it was that I had done wrong. But as this verse has reminded me, Nathan came in our lives just so that we could see God's glory more clearly. I love my little man so much and I am so grateful to have him in my life!