News from David & Samantha

The Diamonds and the Glen Miller Orchestra

2012-01-29T18:27:00.001-05:00

While at Busch Gardens yesterday we got to see the concert of the Glen Miller Orchestra. It was a fun show. Reminded me of a show that my parents would have enjoyed too! I told Samuel that Grandpa would have liked to see it and Samuel said, "Maybe he should come and visit us." :)

People Mover

2012-01-29T17:14:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and go to Magic Kingdom. We typically don't ride to many rides, but Samuel is getting bigger and more interested in rides. We went on the People Mover and as you can probably tell from the picture, Samuel LOVED it!

First Roller Coaster

2012-01-29T16:57:00.001-05:00

Yesterday (1/28/2012) Samuel went on his first ever roller coaster ride! Here are a couple short videos of him on the coaster (He is sitting by David who is wearing a bright orange shirt), and the third video is a brief interview of Samuel's thoughts on his first roller coaster experience!

And here are some still photos

Waiting in the line for the roller coaster

Getting in - very excited and a little nervous!

Happy and Sad Faces

2011-12-16T20:35:00.000-05:00

The urologist had a chalkboard in his room for Samuel to use while we waited. Samuel drew a happy face.

And then a sad face!

Child Life part II

2011-12-16T20:20:00.000-05:00

The Cincinnati Children's Hospital really does have an awesome child life department. I cannot say this often enough. We went through a similar test today that we had to do in Orlando. It is a very uncomfortable test and when it was done in Orlando Samuel and I both cried. I had to restrain him and try to get him to calm down while the nurses and radiologists did their jobs.
Today I did have to restrain Samuel a little bit, but not for the the entire test. The child life specialist had age appropriate toys to distract Samuel and after a few minutes he was talking, playing, and laughing all while the test was being done.
I spoke with the child life specialist about the program. This hospital does have a huge child life department. Most hospitals don't have nearly the program that they have, and I am sure that most of it comes down to funding. Even with the large department at this hospital, a specialist cannot see every child that could benefit so they have to prioritize. The goal is to make the experience positive so that in the future the child will not be afraid. It is such a great program in goal and in practice!

Waiting Rooms

2011-12-16T20:10:00.000-05:00

This week has been full of appointments and with every appointment, a waiting room! Samuel is usually pretty well behaved in waiting rooms, and Grandma has been a huge help in entertaining Samuel while waiting. Today while waiting they colored pictures!

Pinched, Medical Update

2011-12-15T18:03:00.000-05:00

Today at the x-ray appointment we found out that Samuel had to have his labs re-done. Samuel has become a pro at doing the x-rays. He knows that they are quick and painless. He also knows that labs are not fun. Children's hospitals are usually great about getting it on the first stick and today was no exception. Samuel squired and cried, but I think it was mainly the worry of the pain because it was so quick and Samuel settled down while it was being drawn. While leaving the hospital Samuel asked, "Why did that man pinch me?" Poor little guy.
Tomorrow we have more tests that will not be pleasant and will involve Samuel being catheterized (they wanted to do one one lab today that would have also required Samuel to be catheterized and I suggested that they just do that when they cath him tomorrow and they all agreed that would be a good idea). I am dreading the tests tomorrow because he will not receive any medication and I know from a similar test that this will actually be a bit painful for him. I really don't like holding him down for things that hurt, but I also wouldn't want to not be there to comfort him. Samuel is such a trooper in going through all of the testing.
He is doing well. We have had to adjust the treatments slightly and the "recipe" that is currently being used seems to be working. We will use the same one tomorrow morning, and then in the afternoon after the x-ray and tests we will meet with the doctors and hopefully receive positive news!

Cincinnati Zoo

2011-12-15T17:50:00.000-05:00

After the appointments on Tuesday we went to the zoo. This is another attraction that gives tickets to the hospital for the patients. We had a wonderful time seeing the animals, seeing the Christmas lights, and watching the black light puppet show!

We said hello to Willey..he is so big that you can hardly see the elephant behind him!

Grandma helped Samuel feed the goats

Samuel got brave enough to feed the goats all by himself!

Brave enough that he even wanted to go inside and pet them!

Samuel even sat on Santa's lap! He is very bundled up in this picture because it got colder as it got dark. So he is wearing 2 pairs of pants, a long sleeved shirt, a hoodie, coat, and 3 hats!....so maybe I over bundled?

Staying warm with Grandma while we waited for the puppet show to start

Fireman

2011-12-14T21:40:00.006-05:00

Sitting on the front of the fire engine

Driving the fire engine

Radioing Dispatch

A few months ago Samuel's class learned about fire safety. They had a fire drill and Samuel came home and told me all about the loud alarm and what he needs to do if there is a fire. Best of all, the fire department came and visited his class and they gave the kids fire hats. Samuel LOVES his fire hat. So when I visited the guest relations at the hospital here and saw that one of the attractions that we could attend while receiving treatment was the fire museum, I knew I had found something that Samuel would enjoy. I had originally planned to go there on Monday, but they are closed on Monday so we went today. Samuel had fun....it isn't exactly exciting stuff for a 3 year old because it is a lot of history and antique fire station artifacts, but they did have part of a fire truck that Samuel could play on and he loved it.

Monday in Pictures

2011-12-12T19:30:00.000-05:00

We start our days every day this week by getting an xray and then call and leave a message for the nurse about how things are going. So today after the xray we went to the Florence Y'all Mall.

Waiting in the waiting room for an xray

Playing on the river boat at the mall playground

Riding the dragon on the carousel at the mall

Riding Rudolph at the Mall

Riding a horse at the Mall

Shaking the tigers hand

Cincinnati Museum Center

2011-12-11T18:43:00.015-05:00

Today we went to the Cincinnati Museum Center. Several area attractions donate to tickets to hospital for the patients and families who are here from out of town. Cincinnati Museum is one such attraction and we loved our time visiting the museum. We spent our time in the Holiday train exhibit and also in the children's museum.

Driving the fire car

Working at the construction site. Samuel had just filled his wheelbarrow with rock and he was taking it to the rock pile.

Pounding nails

Sitting in a canoe

Driving the city bus

Dinosaur Lego table

Slide in the treehouse

Crawling to the treehouse slide

Rope bridge in the treehouse

Spiderweb

Jumping onto the spiderweb

Water area

Bug Tunnel

Christmas Train

Warning posted at the loading zone to the Christmas train. I did read it to Samuel so that he would know the result of standing up on this train!

Trains!

Newport Aquarium

2011-12-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

It is cold outside! So instead of going to the zoo we decided to go to the aquarium today and hope that it will warm up perhaps next week so that we can go to the zoo on an evening when it isn't quite so bitter. Here are some of our pictures of the aquarium. We had a wonderful time!

Waiting at the entrance

Playing the drums

PENGUINS!

With Scuba Santa's sleigh

Playing in the frog bog gym

Playing on the frog bog frogs

A Shark!

This was after we left the aquarium and walked around the little mall. These guys were at the theater!

Keeping Contact

2011-12-09T20:32:00.000-05:00

Being away from Daddy is very hard for Samuel, but thanks to a wonderful co-worker who let us borrow her laptop and to Skype, we have been able to video chat with Daddy at least every evening! Here is Samuel showing Daddy how to blow up the balloon....a skill that he learned at the doctor's office this afternoon!

Child Life

2011-12-09T16:07:00.000-05:00

I love child life specialists in hospitals and Cincinnati has awesome professionals working in their child life and patient advocate departments. They really care about the patients and the families. While I attended the lecture this morning, Samuel got to go to the room with the children (he asked Grandma Shari if she would stay with him so she attended that room too!) Samuel had a great time playing with the tools, and of course, Samuel, aka Mr Safety, wore the goggles while playing!

The child life specialist also helped so much during Samuel's appointment. Samuel was doing pretty well until the doctor needed to do the exam and Samuel would have none of that. The nurse, two interns, and doctor along with myself tried to get Samuel to calm down. One of the interns even showed Samuel his iPad with a cool game and nothing worked to get Samuel to let the doctor look at him. Then the child life specialist entered the room and started blowing bubbles then asked Samuel if he would like to try to blow some bubbles. That was all it took, Samuel settled down. Popped bubbles that the child life specialist had blown then then blew bubbles back at us. Technology is wonderful, but sometimes all that is needed is a caring person with a bottle of bubbles to make everything better!

MRI

2011-12-08T06:32:00.000-05:00

Samuel had his MRI yesterday. He was scheduled to go in at 11:30 for anesthesia and then the MRI was to start at 12:30. He could have any solids after 3:30 AM and then wasn't allowed any liquid after 9:30 AM. He was so hungry in the morning and was so sad when we couldn't let him eat. Poor buddy did his best to still be cheerful, but having an empty stomach, being in a new place without Daddy, and having to go to the hospital makes it very hard. Luckily Grandma is here with us!

When we got to the hospital they got us right back to a room, but there we were told that they were running behind. We didn't end up going in for anesthesia until 1PM. They had me hold Samuel as they gave him the gas to make him go to sleep. That was very hard to do because Samuel didn't want that mask on his face. So we cried together. After he went to sleep (only a minute or so after the gas started) I placed him on the bed, gave him a kiss, and went to the waiting room....crying the whole time, of course. Two hours later they called us back into the recovery room. The nurse was very good and called me back before Samuel opened his eyes so that he would see me when he woke and wouldn't be as nervous. It went very well! I love understanding and helpful medical providers!

Crafting

2011-12-07T08:50:00.001-05:00

Samuel loves to cut and craft so one of the activities we brought to do while here is make a wish book. I had been gathering the toy catalogs that have been coming out. Today we starting cutting out the pictures and pasting them to pages. We are one our way to having a wonderful wish book!

The Bad News

2011-11-17T20:43:00.001-05:00

I was doing some work on the computer and Samuel came in and said, "Mom, I need to talk to you." (now keep in mind, Samuel is 3)
Me: Okay Buddy, what do we need to talk about?
S: Well, I got some bad news and some good news.
Me: Really, well, I guess we should talk then. What is the bad news?
S: Its the not good news. One is good and the other is not good. Bad is not good.

Now I know the bad news is not the good news and that is all the news today :) Such a silly little boy!

Thank you

2011-11-09T22:25:00.000-05:00

We cannot say it enough. Thank you!

We Need Help UPDATED

2011-11-07T10:01:00.014-05:00

I don't know if any other statement is harder for me to say then, "I need help" and honestly if it didn't impact Samuel I would likely not ask. But the fact that it does impact Samuel so much almost breaks my heart more because admiting that we need help to get him what he needs makes me feel a bit more like I am failing him. I mean, he is my son so I feel it is my responsibility to get him what he needs, and admitting that I need help is humbling, to say the least.
So, I am putting this out there for those who would like to help.

Most people are aware that Samuel was born with imperforate anus. He has had several surgeries and he is doing very well. He is a very happy and healthy little boy He is growing quickly and amazes me every day with what he knows. Since the moment he was born we have prayed that he would have the muscle needed to control his bowels.
We have been surrounded by excellent medical providers and I found a group on Facebook that has helped me tremendously because of the knowledge shared by parents of other children with similar issues. It is on the Facebook group that I learned of a treatment program at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital. This program would be able to teach us and Samuel how to keep him clean and dry, and hopefully avoid any further surgery. Because we would need to be in Cincinnati for over a week for the program I had tentatively planned to wait until the Summer of 2012 to get Samuel in. However, at that same time there were budget cuts with my employer and it was decided that our insurance would change. This means that as of January 1, 2012, this program would no longer be covered by my insurance. I called the program and asked if there is any way we could get in by the end of the year and they have been excellent. They worked us in to the December program! However, this means that I don't have 6 months to save and that is why we need help (plus, there is a huge disparity in temperatures between here and there in December!). Although we don't have to pay hospital bills, we will still have many things that we need so that we can attend.

What we need:
(This is a list for me because when I see what I need to get it helps me to know what I need to be looking for on sale)

2 Airline Tickets to Cincinnati (12/6-12/18) (Purchased)
Hotel Accommodations (12/6-12/18) (In Process)
Meals while in Cincinnati ....So many people have responded!
Rental Car (12/6-12/18) ....This will also be covered, Thank you!
Winter Coat for Samuel Yes!
Winter Hat for Samuel Yup, someone has one of those too!
Winter gloves for Samuel Yes!
Long pants for Samuel (3T) Yes!
Long sleeved shirts for Samuel (3T) Yes!
Boots for Samuel (US Size 9 1/2) Someone even had these!
Prayers Many, many people have answered our prayers. Thank you so much!

So, if you are aware of anyone that may be able to help with the above or if you hear of any sales, please let me know! I do have confidence that everything will work out. I know that it is the right decision to go to this program and that it will bless Samuel's life. Here is the website that explains the program better http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/c/colorectal/treatments/bowel-management/ .

November 10, 2011 Update
So, I was hoping for coupon codes and perhaps pointers on what companies were having good sales, and what happened far exceeded everything I could have hoped for. My post on the blog had been up for maybe a minute, and so many people have said they wanted to help. Within 24 hours, so many friends and family members had come forward wanting to help. Now, only 3 days after the post, I am so overwhelmed with the love and kindness that you have all shown. My hopes were surpassed in so many ways. Thank you!

And stay tuned, I will try to update the blog regularly with Samuel's progress!

Standing Guard

2011-10-25T20:39:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago Samuel declared that there wa a monster under his bed. I was tired, and I really just wanted to go to sleep. But, anyone who has tried to convince a 3 year old that things are not as he thinks they are, knows that you could be in for a loooong conversation. So, I peeked under Samuel's bed and had a chat with the monster. I told the monster that even though he is a very friendly monster, he is not allowed to sleep under Samuel's bed. No, he could not stay there, but he may sleep under my bed.
To make sure that the monster didn't sneak back into Samuel's room and under his bed, we placed Winnie the Pooh under Samuel's bed to stand guard.
Winnie the Pooh has been a great guard and the friendly monster has not been back under Samuel's bed. Well, at least he hadn't been back, until tonight. Samuel declared that the monster was again under his bed. I checked with Winnie the Pooh and he confirmed that the monster had in fact tried to get back under Samuel's bed. But, Pooh assured me that he was firm and made the monster leave immediately. I am so grateful for Pooh. Such a good little helper.
Of course Samuel chuckles and thinks it is great when I converse with the monster and with Pooh. We have fun together, the monster, Pooh, Samuel and I, and I really hope that these times will last for a long time and our memories of these times will last forever!

Bully at the Playground

2011-10-22T22:43:00.000-04:00

Today we went to one of our favorite parks to play outside. The weather has been beautiful so we thought it would be a perfect day, and apparently lots of other people had the same idea. We had been there for a while we let Samuel go a ways away from us...we could always see him, we just didn't stand by him. This other child came up to him and we noticed that they both appeared to be wanting to play in the same area. We just kind of stayed back to let them work it out but I did start to approach and the other child started hitting Samuel in the head. I started to yell for him to stop as I quickened my pace, but the other child didn't even pause and he started to pull at Samuel really hard around the stomach/waist. This concerned me because of all of the surgeries Samuel has had his core muscles are a bit weaker and he was trying to climb the ladder. I pulled the child away from Samuel and told him he couldn't do that, and at that point that child's mother came over and started telling him that was the last of it, he had already been told that he couldn't do things like that and they would now be going home. At that point Samuel just started to sob. He was terrified and just wanted his daddy to hold him for a bit.

I'm torn on if I did the right thing. Should I have gone over there immediately when I saw that the boys were both wanting to do the same thing? Typically Samuel can work these things out and he gets along with other children so well.
After it was all over we talked about what happened. I explained to Samuel that if someone starts to hit, push, pull him then he needs to scream. We talked about yelling "Go away" or "Help" and we practiced. Samuel is typically very quiet so we had David walk a ways away from us and then practiced yelling loud enough for a grown up to hear. Samuel really liked the practicing. I did tell Samuel that if yelling doesn't get the person to stop that he can hit them....I don't want to encourage violence, but if he can't get away from a bully, I don't want him to not defend himself. We did NOT practice hitting :)

So, what are your suggestions?

Quote about how it feels to be blessed with a baby....

2011-10-16T07:24:00.000-04:00

"It's like there's a chamber in your heart that you don't know exists that open up when you have a baby" -Brandon Flowers, Lead Singer for The Killers

Pirate Video

2011-10-08T22:01:00.000-04:00

Here is Samuel Pirate in action. He goes from Pirate to Grumpy Pirate....sorry that it is on its side. I cant get it to rotate....perhaps you could just tilt your head or maybe put your monitor on its side for this brief video?

Halloween

2011-10-08T16:53:00.002-04:00

I really enjoy most holidays and with Samuel holidays seem even more fun. One of my favorites is Halloween because I think that Samuel is just so cute in his costumes! And, one of my favorite things that we have done for the past few years is attend Sea World's Halloween Spooktacular. I think it is so cute. We went today and it was very, very rainy! Be we had lots of fun and it is so early in the season that we will likely go next weekend too and hopefully get even more pictures. I will share a couple pictures from today, but because I am feeling somewhat reminisent, lets first look at Samuel of Halloween's past.

Halloween 2008 - Who couldn't fall in love with this adorable Samuelstein?!

Halloween 2009 - Samuel Tiger with two pumpkin fish at Sea World's Halloween Spooktacular

Halloween 2010 - Samuel Turtle at the Celebration Pumpkin Patch

Halloween 2011 - Pirate Captain Samuel at Sea World's Spooktacular

Disney's 40th Anniversary

2011-10-02T15:31:00.001-04:00

We woke up early to go to Magic Kingdom on Saturday so that we could celebrate Magic Kingdom's 40th anniversary. We enjoyed the Parade of Characters and the train ride. Samuel got to drive a car on test track which he loved and he also really liked the Buzz Lightyear ride after which he posed with Zurg! All in all, it was a fabulous day!

Free Museum Day

2011-10-02T14:41:00.001-04:00

The museum we chose to go to last weekend was a children's museum in Lakeland. Samuel had a great time playing in the orange grove, fire truck, boat, and Publix grocery store!

I'm a GENIUS!

2011-09-16T06:57:00.001-04:00

So yesterday Samuel and I stayed home. We decided to have a lunch date and went to Samuel's favorite place, McDonalds! We sat down and Samuel was trying to open his chocolate milk, but couldn't get it. So I opened it and poured it in the cup for him. At that moment Samuel looked at me in awe and said, "You're a genius." I love me little guy!

Laundry

2011-08-07T20:12:00.001-04:00

Sunday is our laundry day. David does the bulk of our laundry and Samuel just loves to help! He is a good little helper!

Baseball

2011-08-07T20:09:00.001-04:00

Last night we went to a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game. Samuel was tired before we even got there so it wasn't as fun as it could have been, but we still had a good time. Unforatunately, this was the best picture we took!

Winter Quarters

2011-07-23T23:49:00.000-04:00

On our last day in Omaha we went to the Winter Quarters site and went through the museum. Samuel wasn't feeling too great that day although he was excited to dress like a pioneer (mainly to wear a cowboy hat), he didn't want to show his enthusiasm in the picture!

Omaha Zoo

2011-07-23T23:46:00.001-04:00

We had so much fun going to the zoo with Boone and Finn! We wished we lived closer to them and Samuel's many other cousins so that we could play with them more often!

A Family Reunion

2011-07-23T23:38:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful time at the family reunion last weekend! It was so good to see family that we don't get to see often enough. I think that being around my mom's family helps me to know and remember my mom better....of course, it does make me get teary because I miss my mom, but it is always so good to see them and to remember good times. Granny turned 90 in May and she looks great. I am so glad that we were able to attend the reunion and celebrate such a wonderful Granny.

Adventureland

2011-07-23T23:17:00.001-04:00

Well, I didn't get a lot of pictures of Adventureland but I did remember to get out my camera when Samuel was riding a few rides. He had a ball that day at the water park and I wish that I would have remember to take pictures of that too... oh well, at least I have the memory.

Hollywood Studios

2011-07-23T22:57:00.001-04:00

We went to Hollywood studios with our good friends and we got to meet Phineas and Ferb....we will say that it was for Samuel that we waited in the line, but trully I think that David was the one who really wanted to meet them. Honestly, our whole family enjoys the show!

We also met Buzz and Woody. The line has really cute props for photos...if only my camera hadn't been acting up. It wasn't taking pictures very well and it wasn't until the end of the like that I figured out that the setting had been changed to a night time/firework setting and that is why pictures weren't looking good. Oh well, the pictures may be blurry, but I will still share :)

4th of July

2011-07-23T22:46:00.001-04:00

For the Fourth of July we went to Busch Gardens. We played at the splash pad, went on the train and so animals, and watched the fireworks. It was a great day!

Pirates have taken over!

2011-07-23T22:38:00.000-04:00

Samuel has been really in to pirates lately (Thank you Disney Jr and Jake and the Neverland Pirates). Fortunately for us my wonderful friend Tanya finds the most wonderful toys and has outfitted Samuel with lots of pirate garb. He now has 2 hooks, 2 swords, and a couple of eye patches. So beware ye visitors, ye may be asked to play pirates or walk the plank if ye enter here.

Celebration Fountain

2011-07-23T22:31:00.000-04:00

Some days are just hot here in Florida. So after taking a nice walk, what could be better then cooling off in the fountain. Samuel was a bit skeptical at first, but as you can see, he quickly started enjoying the water.

Fun at Busch Gardens

2011-07-23T22:26:00.000-04:00

On Memorial Day we went to Busch Gardens and had a blast!

Buzz & Woody

2011-07-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

Samuel loves Buzz and Woody so on one of our Monday's together we went to the Lego store at Downtown Disney and got some pictures before we met David and his co-workers for lunch.

Visiting Norway

2011-07-23T22:14:00.000-04:00

In EPCOT, of course. We did not make a trip to the actual country, but I sure wish that we could. We were walking around the Norway area and we found this cute little dwarf so Samuel thought we should take a picutre. I love my little Samuel!

3rd Birthday

2011-07-23T21:48:00.004-04:00

So yes, we did celebrate Samuel's 3rd birthday! Seriously, I can't believe I haven't shared these. Samuel had a wonderful birthday. We took cupcakes with Elmo to Samuel's school and we had a nice little birthday party. Another day we went to Sea World which is one of Samuel's favorite parks. Then another day we went to EPCOT which is also a favorite place for Samuel.

He got many wonderful presents. My friend Patti made Samuel some Buzz Lightyear pj's. Samuel also got an easel and many other wonderful presents.

The sad part of turning 3 was that we had to say goodbye to Miss Becky, our wonderful speech therapist. Samuel really is quite the talker and we loved having Becky come over and playing. We have missed her and Samuel still asks about her and mentions her in almost every prayer. Here is a picture of Miss Becky on her last day with us. She brought her boys and we had a little birthday party for Samuel together on that day.

Baseball

2011-07-23T21:33:00.003-04:00

Samuel loves baseball and fortunately the cable company sponsored a day when we could all attend a baseball game for free! So we watched the Lakeland Flying Tigers and Samuel really enjoyed the game. We will hopefully be watching a pro game next month so stay posted for Samuel's second baseball game experience!

Mondays

2011-07-23T21:10:00.003-04:00

Starting in July 2010 I had the opportunity to work 4, 10 hour days per week and have every Monday off. This was an incredible blessing. Samuel and I would spend Mondays together to do errands like doctor appointments, grocery shopping, and just hanging out. The past year was so much fun. Then on July 1 of this year I started a new position which is also a blessing, but my schedule changed and Samuel and I no longer get to have that day to pal around together. I will truly miss Monday with my little guy. So on our last Monday together we did our errands and then had an ice cream cone. Samuel LOVED it!

Okay....so we have been doing stuff

2011-07-23T21:00:00.002-04:00

Life is busy, but if you had peeked at my blog to see what we have been up to, it may appear that we have done nothing! I am going to recommit myself to updating the blog and so there may be a lot of posts tonight to get everyone (well, everyone that checks this blog which may be no one at all anymore) up to date on what we have been up to lately!

If this is all you have a chance to read...just know that we have been busy doing wonderfully fun stuff!

Big boy bed

2011-02-13T14:50:00.004-05:00

We started by letting Samuel choose some bedding for his big boy bed (we changed the crib to the toddler bed)...and then Samuel got to help make his bed. He loves it!

Now if he will only stay in it to sleep all night and also for naps!

Love

2010-06-06T15:29:00.003-04:00

Just a random thought/post....

I had a long conversation with a sister at church today. She has some very heavy challenges right now. She is afraid and tired. She has faith, but she is still worried about what will happen to her family. This conversation got me thinking, what would happen if every decision that was made was motivated by love?

Okay - I wrote this in June, but I never posted it, I guess I'll just go ahead and post it now :)

5 Years!

2010-06-04T06:54:00.002-04:00

Five years ago I married the man that I admire above all the rest. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and family!

He's TWO!

2010-05-20T20:32:00.003-04:00

Well - now he is 2 and a couple months. Samuel had a pretty good birthday, all things considered. As we were being taken out of the ambulance, me holding on to Samuel, I told Samuel that we were at a place very similar to that ER two years previous. Can I just say that I would really like to never go to the hospital again....especially for Samuel?!?!
Anyway, he spent his 2nd birthday in the hospital and then had a party that weekend. He was a cheerful little boy the entire time. We are so blessed to have this little guy in our family.

Glasses

2010-05-20T19:49:00.003-04:00

Samuel loves glasses. This is a good thing, because likely he will have to have them at some point. Last Saturday we spent some time in Magic Kingdom and we watched the Mickey's Philharmagic....Samuel LOVED it. He especially loved that he got his own glasses to wear. (Please ignore the blob of ketchup on his chin, he also really loves ketchup. We had just had dinner before going to see the show, and I promise that I wiped him down several times....but the boy just oozes ketchup I think.)

Easter 2010

2010-05-20T19:47:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful Easter. Samuel had mixed feelings about find eggs, but he does love picking things up and putting them in bins so it wasn't too hard for him to start enjoying the idea of putting the eggs in the basket.

(Just click on the collage if you wan to see it bigger)

Ties

2010-05-20T18:55:00.004-04:00

I cannot believe how quickly this year is going and that we are already to the end of May! I just barely uploaded pictures today and can hardly believe that I haven't posted any of our pictures from Samuel's birthday, Easter, and other fun adventures. We have been staying so busy - I will try to update the blog with some of the pictures of the things we have done the past few months.
Here is a picture that just makes me laugh! Samuel is getting so big. On Sunday he "helped" Daddy get ready for church by picking out a tie. Well, if Daddy was going to wear a tie then Samuel wanted one too....so Samuel wore one of David's ties. He loved it....that is, Samuel loved it. Wearing a tie is not something that David loves, but we all love how much Samuel adores David and wants to be just like him.

Oh My Words!

2010-04-22T20:24:00.004-04:00

Samuel has had a language explosion....here are the words that he says regularly (and he list grows daily!):

All Amen Apple At Baby Ball Bed Beep Belly Bye
Binky Bird Bite Blanket Bock Book Bread Bubble Buddy Bug
Bus Button Buzz Candy Cheese Choo Choo Church Cold Color
Come Cookie Cow Cracker Daddy Diaper Did Dog Done Down
Drink Duck E I E I O Eat Elmo Eye Fast Fish Fork Fruit
Glasses Go Hat Happy Hello Help Hi Hot It Key
Kitty Lion Look Milk Mine Mommy Moo More Mouse Nemo
Nice No Nose Off On Open Ouch Outside Pants Papa
Paper Peaches Pizza Play-Doh Please Pocket Quack Raining
Rawr Running Seat Shirt Shoes Sit Snack Sneak Socks Sorry Sticker Teeth
Thanks That This Toast Toes Towel Toy Truck Turtle Uh Oh
Up Walk Wash Water What Where Windy Woof

That is 117 words and counting...Samuel is doing really well in every way. We are loving watching and helping him grow. He is a great little boy. We have pictures to share and hopefully I will soon have the time to upload and share them all!

Hiding Place

2010-03-03T09:51:00.000-05:00

I really am enjoying re-reading this book. Here is another quote, this one is from a conversation between Corrie and her mother:
"Happiness isn`t something that depends on our surroundings, Corrie. It`s something we make inside ourselves."

David`s Adventure

2010-03-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

He`s sick. I guess it is his turn to be sick, though ;) He was admitted into the hospital yesterday and hopefully we be released today. He is feeling better this morning....so we will try to keep everyone posted.

Cornelia ten Boom

2010-02-21T21:01:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite books is The Hiding Place. I decided to re-read this book and in the forward I read the above quote. I love it. I do believe that God has a plan and that he is preparing us for what is to come by introducing people and experiences into our lives. As long as we stay close to His spirit we will know what we need to learn and how we can grow from our experiences.

Zoo day, Hooray!

2010-02-21T12:40:00.001-05:00

The Zoo had a free day while we were in town so we went! Luckily Samuel was able to borrow some mittens and a hat from his cousins. He really didn't know what to think about mittens...when we first put them on he just stared at his hands. We got to see many of the baby animals at the zoo and I think Samuel's favorite was the giraffe. At any rate, that is the one animal we do have in a picture!

Samuel got to ride the carousel with his cousins as a treat from Auntie Shelley. Samuel had mixed emotions about the ride. He liked being on the elephant until the carousel started to go. He also liked to see his dad and grandpa standing there, but when they were out of sight Samuel would start to whimper because he wanted to be with them.

Family Time

2010-02-21T12:25:00.001-05:00

I am sad at how few pictures I have of us spending time with our family. We really did have a great time with family dinners, playing games, chatting....I wish my camera would know when to just take pictures because I so often forget to pull it out to capture those moments!

Travelling

2010-02-21T09:49:00.001-05:00

Samuel did really well travelling. I think the highlight for him was the Tampa Airport where they had a play area right by our gate! He loved playing on the cloud slides and the airplanes. He apparently thought they were just for him because when other little children would come to play he would yell, "No, mine!" All I can say is it was past his nap time....but at least he was having fun and he did warm up to having the other children play too! Luckily almost the minute the plane started going, Samuel boy fell asleep!

Price!

2010-02-21T09:25:00.001-05:00

We took one day and went to Price to visit Aunt Kelly & Uncle Fred! We had a wonderful time visiting. Samuel really enjoyed the trip to Price with only two exceptions: 1. Samuel didn't really care for Aunt Kelly's dog who apparently liked Samuel and 2. Samuel didn't seem to care about Soldiers Summit and was quite annoyed that I would get him out of the car so that we could take a picture...Samuel does not like snow or cold - he is our Florida boy through and through!

Trip to Utah

2010-02-21T09:07:00.000-05:00

At the end of January we took a trip to Utah and got to visit our family. We had a wonderful time, but ever since we got home we have been busy, busy, busy, so that is why it has taken me so long to share our pictures. So, the next few posts will be dedicated to our wonderful vacation!

Blowing Noses

2010-01-11T20:45:00.002-05:00

So I have been sick. I started off this year with brochitis and larangitis - not fun. Anyway, because I have been sick, I have needed to blow my nose quite frequently. I am not a quiet nose-blower. I try, but it usually comes out like a horn.
Samuel has also had a cold and with that cold he has had a runny nose. He has always been a good little guy to let us wipe his nose, but I thought it would be good if he could learn to blow. Well, I gave him a tissue and he put it on his nose and said, "hooonk." Silly little boy! but he did blow his nose just like mommy!

Christmas Morning

2009-12-25T08:31:00.003-05:00

At the park

2009-12-21T21:08:00.004-05:00

On Saturday we went to Disney World and watched the Christmas parade and attended the Candlelight Processional with Whoopi Goldberg. Here are some pictures!

Christmas Rambling

2009-12-21T20:30:00.004-05:00

The speaker at church yesterday read the above scripture and then asked each of us to ponder the meaning of each of the titles of Christ and the significance each of these titles/roles has in our lives. I am humbled to know that I have a Savior who has done so much for me. He is Wonderful! Because of Him, I have peace. My words seem to trivialize the great role that He has played for all mankind, and that is weakness in me. I cannot write words well enough to express myself and the gratitude that I have for my Savior.
I am thankful to be celebrating His birth and hope that during the coming year I can continue to grow in my love and appreciation for what he has done. Through the trials and blessings that I have had, I have come to know that He loves me and is anxious to help me to develop into the person that He knows I can become. I have also learned, and continue to learn, that He is caring for me and my family.
He has cared for Samuel before I was blessed to be Samuel's mom. During those first months after having Samuel I begged for Samuel to be spared. I said in so many prayers, "Please heal him! I want him here with me!" Those prayers were answered, and Samuel continues to grow and be so strong. During my prayers, however, I also received the reminder and assurance that He wants us there with Him. He wants us to be close to Him; He wants us to be like Him. If we rely upon Him, He will counsel us so that we can more fully receive His peace.

Home Today

2009-11-05T11:19:00.003-05:00

Well, yesterday Samuel did have some difficulty breathing after surgery. They gave him a breathing treatment before we left the hospital and then we gave him his treatment before he went to bed last night. Poor little guy - lately he has been holding the mask himself, but last night he wanted nothing to do with it and he screamed the entire time. The screaming got so bad that we had to stop and start again 3 different times.
Anyway, Samuel had a good night and then this morning he was not breathing well again so we gave him a treatment and decided that David would go to work while Samuel and I would spend the day at home resting.

No Driving or Operating Heavy Machinery

2009-11-04T18:06:00.003-05:00

Samuel is home and all is well. The discharge instructions include that we shouldn't allow Samuel to drive or operate heavy machinery. So, I guess we will have to find other things to fill our time :)
Seriously though, Samuel did very well in surgery. He was taken in just before 7:30 AM and we were leaving the hospital just before 9 AM. He was a little loopy coming off of the anesthesia and just jabbered and giggled. This afternoon we just relaxed and let him have a quiet day. Best news is that likely there will not be any other surgery until possibly after Samuel is around 3 years old! A whole year without a surgery - Yahoo!!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T20:10:00.003-05:00

Halloween this year was lots of fun! We went to two 'trunk or treat' parties and Samuel had a great time. He loved carrying his bag because he really likes putting things in bags...however, he didn't know what to think of other people putting things in his bag!

He also had fun at the 'fishing pond'.
On Halloween we went to the Sea World Spooktacular and Samuel got his piture taken with the "Pumpkin Fish". We went late in the day because we were having record breaking heat so the only show we watched was "Shamu Rocks". Samuel loved it. I enjoyed the show, but even more then then show, I enjoyed listing to Samuel cheer and get so excited with the different tricks that were done.

We also went to the pumpkin patch again this year. We went right before going to Sea World - Next year we will have to remember to go earlier because going on Halloween the patch was pretty much closing down. Still got cute pictuers though!

Adventures with Visitors

2009-10-25T19:10:00.010-04:00

So here are the pictures that you have all been waiting for: (warning: There are lots of pictures, I had a hard time narrowing them down!)
As you know, we moved. Samuel LOVES his room, and it's not even completely organized yet. It was the first room that we got started on because we wanted to make sure and have it mostly put together when Samuel got home from "school".

We went to Sea World with Connie's family while they were here and Kaylynn got picked to meet Seamore! Kaylynn is so adorable.

Samuel really liked feeling the ice in the wild Arctic exhibit.

The next weekend we went to Magic Kingdom. Samuel's favorite "attraction" was climbing about on the fence while waiting at Splash Mountain.

He also enjoyed riding with Auntie Connie and Richard on Pirates.

And splashing in Toontown.

It was cold (which means it dropped below 70!) so Samuel bundled up in this Halloween tiger costume.

It was a long day for the little tiger and he fell asleep in his car seat immediately...

Then Connie and family came over for dinner which was so much fun! All of the kids got to eat on beach blankets in the living room. Samuel had already eaten because he eats better when there isn't other excitement. Well, he still wanted to be with the cousins while they were eating so he got his chair and sat right at the end of the line!

Then this weekend we went to Busch Gardens with Bob! Here is a tiger from Busch Gardens....he's almost as cute as my Samuel tiger!

Samuel loved the carousel.

and the sky ride

Well, that wraps out our adventures of the last month or so. After finishing with Busch Gardens we did head over and close out Magic Kingdom. I meant to get a picture with Samuel and Bob. Samuel really loved Bob - he especially loved that Bob sat in the back seat next to him in the car.

It was so great to have parts of our families come visit us!

Busy Month

2009-10-15T11:02:00.003-04:00

It has been such a busy month with moving and such. Sorry about not updating the blog! My sister and her family are here for a few more days - we are going with them tonight to see a show and I am hoping to get more pictures. It has been great to see them! However, I just can't believe how big they all are (not my sister, but the kids)! This little kids that I would play with while we were down at BYU are now teenagers! That just doesn't seem right. Has it been that long?!! Time keeps going faster and faster. I guess I just need to do better at keeping up!

September 11th

2009-09-10T18:01:00.005-04:00

In honor of tomorrow I wanted to share this on my blog. I love the message of hope. Enjoy!

2009-08-16T19:24:00.009-04:00

I had a great birthday this year.

I got up at 7:30 AM and David and Samuel were just getting home from grocery shopping. It was so nice to sleep in!

David then made us a nice bacon and egg breakfast!

That evening we went to the Kissimmee Steakhouse for dinner. We had never been there before and I wanted to try some place new for my birthday. I thought that it looked like a good place to try because they had some excellent specials on their website. The meals were delicious
David and Samuel enjoyed watching the chef cook on the open charcoal grill. We really enjoyed our dinner...but one hint for those wanting to go to this restaurant, if you look at the website and see specials, in order to get those specials you have to ask for that menu, otherwise they will give you the regular menu and you will end up paying about 3 times the amount. Luckily, I just happened to ask about the specials so they gave us the special menu. Perhaps this is also done so that locals get a different price than tourists?

After dinner we went and strolled around Magic Kingdom. We watched the parade and the fireworks. Samuel didn't really like waiting for the parade. But he did seem to like the parade itself.

(Side note: this week at daycare one of Samuel's teachers noted that Samuel doesn't have a lot of patience.....so waiting for anything is not Samuel's favorite activity)

You can see Samuel's puffy, red eyes because he just got done really yelling at the fact that we were waiting for the parade and we wouldn't just let him wander off where ever he wanted to go. Samuel is quite independent and pretty much has no fear of just going where he wants to go.

I really enjoyed my birthday. It was nice and relaxing. I got to spend some time with my two favorite people (David and Samuel) and I appreciate all of the thoughtful birthday wishes!

Now for your enjoyment I thought I would also include a video of Samuel dancing in David's shoes! I think that this was also part of my birthday gift because Samuel' came out of our room in order to put on his little performance!

The Ostomy

2009-08-15T09:11:00.003-04:00

In the other post I said that we donated the left over ostomy supplies that we had to the hospital. I don't know if I have really ever explained what we went through with the ostomy. Plus, if anyone is going through a similar experience and they happen to search on the Internet for information perhaps they will see this entry and know that others have been through it too.
It was such a struggle at first, and I think that is why it was hard for us to give away those supplies and really admit that the ostomy chapter had ended.
Samuel got his ostomy two days after he was born. The stoma for the ostomy was about 2 inches to the right of Samuel's belly button. (Well, it was on his left side, but if you were looking at him it would be to your right.) There are so many different options for ostomy supplies....you can have multiple pieces, you have to cut them to fit the stoma, there are several options for skin barriers, etc. The difficulty is that a baby's skin is so delicate so the adhesive needs to be gentle, but strong. Plus, a baby can't tell you if it isn't stuck on right.
When we were trying to find the system that would work best for Samuel we were going through several bags a day. Each bag should stay on for about 3 days. Some insurance companies figure that if a bag is suppose to last 3 days that the patient can only have 11 bags in one month. Well, when you are trying to identify a good system you could go through 11 bags in one day! The price of the bags vary greatly, starting out around $10 each and then you have the cost of the skin barriers. It can get very expensive quickly. Plus, when you are prepping the bag is it so easy to ruin it. You have to cut the stoma hole without cutting the bag which sounds so much easier than it actually is. We were so fortunate that we had a friend that had gone through this with her baby and she had extra supplies, plus we had great insurance that would let us order whatever was needed. Also, one of the ostomy supply companies had a rep contact us. The rep sent us some samples of different supplies to try.
Also, each time the bag comes off it makes the skin get more raw....I mean, just imagine putting a strong bandage on your belly riping it off, cleaning the area, putting on a new bandage, ripping it off, cleaning, and repeating it several times. Now imagine that on a little baby's skin. Plus the stoma is where it is so the ostomy barrier/bag will have to go in the same place each time with very little variation. This is what was happening when we finally got to bring Samuel home from the NICU. We were up at least every hour with him changing his ostomy bag. David took it on as a personal challenge and after a couple of weeks we had a system that worked great on Samuel, but getting to that point was hard.
Some people think it sounds like it would be worth it to not have to change any diapers so I should clarify. Samuel still had to wear a diaper because only the poop would go into the ostomy, the pee still went in to the diaper. Plus, to empty the ostomy bag we would squeeze the poop out of the little opening (picture a large ketchup packet that is stuck to Samuel's belly) into a diaper and then you would have to stick your wipe into the bag to get out the left overs, of course along with the wipe you would have to stick you finger....sometimes that was pretty nasty.
Right as we were discharged from the NICU we discovered that there were 2 other babies that were struggling with keeping their ostomy bags on. It is so common to struggle at the beginning because every baby is different and they are growing so quickly. We remember feeling alone and nervous that it we wouldn't ever find anything that would work. But we did, it got better. We found different clothes that would help to keep the ostomy bag in place as opposed to knock it off. I think it would have been nice to have a little support group of parents that were going through or had been through similar struggles. David and I would be happy to help any other family going through this, but it really isn't that common. So by donating those supplies we hope that other families are helped.

Great Week!

2009-08-15T08:54:00.003-04:00

This last week was so good. We finally had the long-awaited appointment with the geneticist, the results were in, and everything is fine! We thought that was going to be the result and it was nice to hear the news.
So, this doctor did her last exam with Samuel. She was so impressed with how well he is doing. Because the results came back with great news though, she doesn't need to follow up with Samuel any more. So, 17-months ago when Samuel was born we had a cardiologist, hematologist, gastroenterologist, and a geneticist all of whom have cleared Samuel. We have a healthy little guy who doesn't need all these specialists any more. Woohoo!!!
The day of this appointment we also stopped by the hospital to donate some of the extra ostomy supplies that we had and of course no longer need. We have been holding on to them because, well, there were always the what ifs. We let those go and now those supplies can be used by families who need them. We gave them to Sally, a nurse who cared for Samuel the whole time at the NICU and would also pop in to visit us when we had the other hospital stays. She couldn't get over how big Samuel is getting.....he is 6 times the size that he was when they first met after all! Samuel is now 24 lbs and 28 inches!
This week we also had appointments with Samuel's speech and physical therapists. This was Samuel's best speech appointment yet....he actually made noise! Usually in his speech appointments he is so quiet. This week he tried to say words and jabbered.
Physical therapy went really well. Samuel is on target in physical therapy. Actually, he is now advanced in his skills! He is on a 20-24 month level on many of the things that he can do. So, we no longer need to go to physical therapy. Hooray Samuel!

Another Hair Cut

2009-08-01T14:40:00.004-04:00

Samuel got his hair cut last weekend and I meant to post pictures earlier, but I just didn't get around to it. He did have as good of an experience this time. I think that Disney just must do a better job, and surprisingly it was cheaper to have it cut at Magic Kingdom where he also got mouse ears then it was to get his second hair cut.

Samuel had kind of a rough week this last week. On Wednesday he came down with a fever and wasn't acting like himself at all. He would sleep most of the time and when he woke up he would just lay in his bed not wanting to get out or if he got up he would lay on the floor and just look at his toys. It was sad to see him so sad. Luckily he is feeling better now. Plus, he got some time to just be home with Mom on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday, and then on Friday he was home all day with Dad.

Such a Good Boy

2009-07-22T20:38:00.005-04:00

Samuel really is such a good little boy. Being his mom is quite easy because he is so agreeable.
Sadly Samuel got a sinus infection and therefore he has been on antibiotics again. Antibiotics give his already sensitive bottom terrible diaper rash....really it is awful. I have never seen anything so terrible in my life and it happens so quickly. Anyway, because of this terrible rash, this evening after Samuel's nap, but before dinner, Samuel got to have some diaper-free time. He loves to watch his Baby Einstein movies. He just sits and watches and gets so excited. It was so cute to see him sitting there so I took a picture!

Samuel had speech again today. He still isn't saying any words. He understands them though which is great. I am trying not to worry. We are working with him and he is very smart, so in his own time I am sure he will say some words. Maybe he is waiting to say words until he can speak in complete sentences :)

Also, we got the lab tests drawn a few weeks ago for Samuel's testing. I am hoping that the Geneticist will call us soon to let us know the results. Why is it that the waiting is always the hardest part? I wish that they could just take the blood without any of us knowing and then when we go in to the appointment be able to tell us the results. Having to wait for the insurance to approve the testing (that took about 2 1/2 months) and then having to wait for the results (already 3 weeks) is really terrible - especially seeing as I don't really like using what patience I have.

Look Who's Walking!

2009-07-06T18:38:00.006-04:00

Safety First

2009-07-05T19:38:00.004-04:00

On Friday we met David's cousin and her family at EPCOT. Before they arrived we decided to ride the monorail. Samuel saw David holding on to the pole so he made sure to do exactly what Daddy does. Our little Mr. Safety. Holding on for dear life.
Samuel is getting so big. He has 8 teeth now and is well on his way to walking. Crawling is still the preferred mode if he needs to get some where quick, but he is walking pretty well. He still goes to physical therapy every other week, but that will likely be cut down to once a month at this next appointment because he is doing all of the things that a boy his age (both adjusted and actual) should be doing.
He goes to speech every week. He really has started making so many different sounds and he is doing so well and eating or playing with all sorts of foods. Unfortunately, he just doesn't want to make any sound what so ever when we are at speech. He is so quiet there and then the minute we leave the room he is back to being a jabber box. He doesn't say words yet, but he is now understanding that words refer to things (i.e. he knows binky, blankie, nose, eye, George, Mom, Dad, shoes, socks, feet, etc) which is wonderful to see him now associating words to things and responding to his name!
Samuel is doing really well. He is sick right now with a bit of a cold so we kept him home from church and have been doing breathing treatments. Hopefully he will be feeling better soon. Poor little guy - the only thing worse than being sick myself is seeing him not feel well!

4th Anniversary Celebration

2009-06-07T10:09:00.003-04:00

On Saturday we went on a lunch cruise on the Gulf. It was a beautiful day and we had a really great time.
Here is a picture of Samuel and I before we got on the boatAnd here we have David and Samuel exploring the second deck of the boat

Just Some Stuff

2009-06-03T20:48:00.004-04:00

I really don't think there is anything that Samuel does that I don't think is cute. That is likely not a good thing, and yes, Samuel is probably a bit spoiled. He is just such a good little guy that even if he does something that he isn't suppose to do (i.e. play with my dry sink) I can't help but laugh at his mischievous grin.
Here is Samuel sleeping. For those of you who haven't met Samuel, let me assure you that he does have two legs...He just likes weird sleep positions. While we were in Washington, Papa bought Samuel a little cheeseburger. I didn't think Samuel would even try it, but he did! He thought it was great. So, I got him another one. He thinks he is pretty neat sitting a the table eating his cheeseburger. He just nibbles at it and doesn't eat the whole thing of course. Actually, most of the time that he is "eating" is really just him taking it apart bit by bit!

Samuel likes to share - here he is offering me a bite!

Last week David had his birthday. We got a carrot cake and sang to him - Samuel thought it was quite the show....just look at his excited face!!! (He really did like it - and he LOVED the carrot cake, I just must have snapped the picture at a funny moment.)This week Samuel was moved up at school to the next class. He is now in the toddler room. He is doing well learning the schedule of the new room. He loves the other kids in the class - he plays really hard and when he comes home, he is absolutely exhausted.

He is up to 4 teeth now and I think he is working on getting some more. He is still our happy little guy and so much fun to have around.

Also this week Samuel was awarded a scholarship at school! Woohoo!!!

Tomorrow David and I celebrate our 4th anniversary. A year ago today I was in the hospital not doing well at all. This past year has had its challenges and while it was hard, each day I became more and more grateful for my wonderful husband. He has been such a comfort and a strength. What a lucky girl I am! Through all of the challenges we have become stronger together! In summary - I love my David!

Back Home

2009-05-13T19:32:00.003-04:00

Usually when a vacation ends I am excited to be home. This time is a bit different. We didn't go to Washington for a vacation, we went because David's grandpa passed away. Grandpa was a really great man. Someone that you admire because of the way he lived. He was a good person, and he was that way because that was just who he was. His acts of service and kindness were quiet and perhaps unnoticed by all except for the individual or group that was served. He had a talent for setting people at ease and really made everyone feel welcome and happy.
He also is one of those men that really loves his wife. Grandpa and Grandma have a great story. Honestly, I think that one of the reasons I am such a lucky wife is because of the example of Grandpa.
Anyway, this time it was nice to come home to have all of the stuff that I am used to having around me and to sleep on my own bed with my own pillows. However, while that stuff is nice, I feel kind of homesick. I miss the family. Samuel LOVED playing with his cousins. The weather was beautiful and it was just so nice to be around family.
Here is he whole family - all together for the first time in over a year! At the graveside. Grandma really is a classy lady. She is full of grace - I really admire her.

All of Grandpa's children spoke at his funeral. They all did a wonderful job. Wonderful stories were told of Grandpa and everyone in the room was touched. I say everyone because towards the end Samuel got very wiggly and I took him to the back so we would walk about without disturbing everyone. While we were back there Dad was speaking. The funeral director who stood at the back as an usher took one of the programs and just stared at the picture of Grandpa and Grandma - he had tears in his eyes. By the words that were shared this man who didn't know Grandpa could tell that Grandpa truly was a great man!

Because of Grandpa's military service in the Navy for World War II and in the Army for the Korean and Vietnam wars he was buried with military honors.

The bugler who played Taps

Samuel relaxing in the hotel room. For his first trip he did VERY well. He is such a little trooper.

On Saturday we went to Tolmie Park on Puget Sound. That was really fun! It was so beautiful. The beach was completely different from Florida beaches, I loved it. We found sand dollars, crabs, clams, oysters, and a starfish!

Four generation picture taken on the patio at Grandma's house. Grandma's house and yard is absolutely beautiful. On a clear day (okay so this is Washington and those don't happen too frequently) you can see Mt Ranier from the patio. The home is very beautiful and it was built by Grandpa.

Easter, and the week after....

2009-04-19T20:55:00.007-04:00

Sorry this is a bit late. We had a crazy week last week with Samuel getting sick and then David got what Samuel had - poor guys! But they are both feeling better now so hopefully this week will be much nicer.

Anyway, Easter was great! On Saturday we went to the Kissimmee City Easter Egg Hunt and had quite a bit of fun

After church on Easter, Samuel made signed some thank you notes with his hand prints. That was some very messy business, but he really had fun. Plus, he got to take a bath afterwords which he always loves!

Now for some exciting announcements! Samuel had a very exciting week. While he stayed home with me on Tuesday and Wednesday, he decided he would grab on to his little car and walk across the living room! What a champ. Then on Wednesday evening Samuel started to crawl. The excitement then continued today....on Wednesday I had made some Mac & Cheese and gave some to Samuel hoping that he would at least play with it. He touched it and was absolutely disgusted by the feel of it. However, today I made some more Mac&Cheese, and while David and I were eating our lunch Samuel reached out and grabbed some Mac & Cheese - and then he put it in his mouth!!!!

As you can tell in that last picture, he is pretty darn proud of himself. David and I are quite proud too. He is coming along so well. He is suppose to be getting some physical therapy and some speech therapy to help with the gross motor skills along with the eating and word recognition. That hasn't even started yet, but he is still progressing so quickly. What a smart little guy!

Just Watched This

2009-04-15T13:24:00.003-04:00

I guess everyone has judged someone solely on appearance. I know I have been on both sides of that so I just thought I would post this video. I found it very touching!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRmM1J1sfg

More Pictures

2009-04-04T19:15:00.004-04:00

We went to the Spring Fling for David's work.

There was an Easter Egg Hunt.

And face painting!

However he was finished with the picture taking in this next picture. Is it mean that I think that he is cute when he cries? Of course we didn't just keep taking picture upon picture, but how could we pass up taking a pouty face picture!

And here is a picture of Samuel in his suit -all dressed up for church last Sunday! This suit came from Samuel's cousins, Lance and Dylan.

Birthday Celebration - Lunch at Crystal Palace

2009-03-22T20:49:00.003-04:00

Samuel was fine with Winnie the Pooh and he was happy to meet Eeyore.

Piglet, however, was just scarry and after that we didn't even try to meet Tigger!

Birthday Celebration - The Presents & The Rides

2009-03-22T20:36:00.002-04:00

A BIG thank you to grandparents, aunts and uncles for the wonderful presents. Samuel is loving all of them! Samuel went on Dumbo

The Carousel
Its A Small World

Snow Whites Scarry Adventure

Birthday Celebration - First Haircut

2009-03-22T20:17:00.004-04:00

Samuel was soooo good for his first hair cut. Mary started off by putting stickers all over Samuel. He loved playing with them and didn't even seem to notice that Mary was messing with his hair. It was fun to have Samuel's first hair cut at Disney's Magic Kingdom. Because it was his first hair cut, Samuel got the Mickey Ears, a certificate of bravery, and they saved the hair that was cut off for me.

Birthday Celebration - EPCOT

2009-03-22T19:55:00.003-04:00

At the end of the day we went to EPCOT. We enjoyed walking through the Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden.

We also watched the dolphins, manatee, and other sea creatures at The Seas with Nemo and Friends.

Don't let that charming smile fool you - Samuel was tired and ready to go home!

Happy 1st Birthday Samuel!

2009-03-18T06:37:00.003-04:00

Samuel is already for school with his birthday shirt, birthday crown, and birthday bib. He has little Curious George gift bags to share with his school friends and we hope he has a great day - although I think he just thought it was fun that David and I were making such a fuss over him this morning.

Our Li'l Leprechaun

2009-03-17T21:08:00.009-04:00

Happy St Patrick's Day! Someone from Samuel's school made him a cute little lephrechaun hat. So this evening we put it on and gave him his first cupcake.Um, guys, there seems to be something on my head and Mom put something gooey on my lips. Could you help me out here?Okay - so I found the source of the gooey stuff in a couple seconds I am going to wipe it on whatever it is that was put on my head.

Well at least the thing is off my head but I still have a bunch of gooey stuff on my hand.
You guys have had your fun, now please take me out of my chair and give me a bath. I'm not putting any of this stuff in my mouth.

Samuel really wasn't sure what to think of the cupcake. He really didn't like the frosting being on his hand and the little bit of it that he tasted I don't think he really liked - Maybe it was too sweet? But it was cute watching him explore a little bit.

Just a little note - last year at this time I was being admitted to the hospital. It is crazy how quickly this past year has flown by! This past year we have had some challenges but also so many blessings! Not only has Samuel grown so much and I seem to love him more and more every single moment, but also my love for David has grown. Last year I didn't think that I could love David any more than I did, but during this past year my love for him has gotten even deeper. David is a wonderful husband and incredible father. Thank you David for all you have done this past year and for being such a wonderful man! Samuel and I are lucky to have you! Here's a song for you...

First Primary Activity

2009-03-13T21:17:00.002-04:00

Last weekend Samuel attended his first Primary activity! We went to the temple to have a tour of the grounds with one of the gentlemen of the temple presidency. I teach the Valiant 9 class and Samuel LOVES the children so he had a great time walking around the grounds with them...well, the children walked and Samuel sat in his stroller.

Kangaroo Care

2009-02-28T22:06:00.002-05:00

The first time I got to hold Samuel I also got to do kangaroo care with him. The skin to skin contact is very beneficial for preemies and I think that it also was very helpful for me. I didn't get to hold Samuel for a whole week after he was born. It was so nice to have him close to me. He was snuggled close with his head just under my chin and his little feet were tucked into my bra to give him support. He fit perfectly in that little space.

Tonight as I was rocking Samuel I thought of that first time that I sat and rocked with him. Tonight his head was nestled under my chin because that is his very favorite position. However, his feet dangled off my leg as he sat on my lap. My tiny baby boy is so big! I am amazed at his growth - in just 11 months he has gone from 4 lbs to 22 lbs. He is healthy and strong and such a blessing to our family.

Curly Curly Hair

2009-02-26T21:06:00.003-05:00

Yup - Samuel has lots of curls! I love it. He is sooooo cute, if you don't mind me saying so :)

I really like this picture because he is just out of the tub so his hair is at its curliest and he has a big grin showing off his teeth - that's right! Samuel has sprung another tooth, it is to the right of the tooth you can really see.

Animal Kingdom

2009-02-22T17:55:00.005-05:00

We are on the train going out to Rafiki's Planet Watch. I really like this part of Animal Kingdom; if you go in the morning you can see the animals being cared for. Yesterday we saw them check out the opossum and giving her a sonogram. Papa and Samuel have become good buds. Papa took Samuel in to see the goats and sheep. On the train back from Rafiki's Planet watch.

A gorilla! I didn't know that Animal Kingdom had gorillas! I have been there several times but still haven't seen the whole park.
We are having so much fun with David's parents. Samuel really loves have two more people to pay attention and play with him!

We're Home!

2009-02-15T19:18:00.002-05:00

Samuel was discharged from the hospital this afternoon. He is doing so well; the surgeon was very impressed with how quickly he is recovering. He is such a strong little boy!
Leaving the hospital was kind of an emotional experience today. Samuel has had his final surgery so this time when we left we have no plan to return. We will have follow-up appointments with the surgeon, but we aren't preparing for the next surgery. It feels a little odd because all of the other times we have left the hospital we have known that we would be back within a couple of months. So, just like the first time when I left the hospital and had to leave Samuel there in the NICU, I cried almost the whole way home, but this time they were tears of joy!

Toe Lassos and Wagon Rides

2009-02-14T14:26:00.004-05:00

Samuel is doing so well today. He is happy and very active. First thing he started doing this morning was pulling on his IV and his leads. His favorite thing to play with is the pulse oximeter. He grabs onto the cord and pulls his toe up. It was on his right big toe and the IV is in his left foot so this morning he would pull the cord and the iv line so that both feet would come up at the same time. Luckily when the surgeon visited this morning and saw how well Samuel is doing, he discontinued all IV fluids and meds and put Samuel on a regular diet. Now he just has the pulse oximeter to pull on.

Because Samuel is doing much better he can now leave his room. The hospital has wagons and Samuel loves going for a ride in the wagon. We are hoping that the doctor will also give us the okay to leave this floor so that we can go to the Pirate Ship Playground!
Samuel loves his Curious George. He also really loves the frog that is sitting with him in the wagon. The frog was Samuel's Valentine from David's boss

Clear Liquids

2009-02-13T20:40:00.004-05:00

Samuel is on clear liquids. We gave him 2 oz of the clear Pedialyte and he loved it!

Here I was just trying to see how much more he had left - he, however, was not going to part with that bottle. He went from the one-handed hold to two hands so that I would not be able to take it.

Examining the bottle to see if there is any left.

Giving the bottle a good shake to get all of it off the bottom - Samuel has already learned the old addage "Waste not, want not"

It's a Poop!

2009-02-13T18:18:00.002-05:00

At 6:03 PM Samuel had his first poopy diaper! David and I were both present for the event and we are excited to change more poopy diapers in the future. This excitement may fade soon, but for right now we are very proud of him.
The pooping was uncomfortable for Samuel and he definitely didn't like having it on his bum. Because his bum has never had poop on it before we have to make sure to slather it some very thick bum cream called Critic-Aid.
So, the nurse has called the surgeon who now has to come look at the poopy diaper. After the surgeon confirms that Samuel has pooped he will hopefully put in the orders to allow Samuel to start having clear liquids.

Out of Isolation

2009-02-13T10:42:00.004-05:00

Samuel's MRSA test finally came back so we are now out of isolation. We just got the results and it is so nice to not have the sign on the door that we may be contaminated and to take every precaution before entering our room. The doctors and nurse had to put gowns and gloves on before coming into our room and everything that was used on Samuel had to stay in his room (i.e. the stethoscope - they have disposable ones that are used when the patient is in isolation).

Once the nurse was in the room she/he couldn't leave before taking off the gloves/gown and then sanitizing hands. This was very annoying for them when they just needed to step outside the room to get something and then come right back in. Anyway, everyone is happy to no longer have to go through the process.

I took some pictures of the room - as you can see it is quite large.

In front of the crib there is a closet and then behind the closet (where you can see the chair by the wall) is a desk and the television is above that. You can see little Samuel in his crib. To the right of Samuels crib is where the roll-away bed is and then the door to the bathroom. It really is a very nice room. In fact, it could be mistaken for a hotel room if it weren't for all of the medical equipment.

Today we are expecting to have Samuel's first messy diaper, we just gave him a suppository to help things along. After that Samuel will have some juice. If he handles that okay then the surgeon said that he will progress quickly on to food and then we should be clear. Typically if there are going to be problems they will generally arise on day 4 or 5 so after that they feel more comfortable discharing us to go home!

Still Resting

2009-02-12T11:25:00.004-05:00

Yesterday evening we were put in a private room (HOORAY). It is much nicer to have your own room so that you don't have to worry about your noise disturbing others and so that you don't get disturbed by someone else's noise!
Samuel had a pretty rough night. He was in quite a bit of pain and he wasn't breathing very well. Early this morning we finally got the okay to give him a breathing treatment and they also sucked out the mucous from his nose and throat. It was awful! So thick and Samuel was not happy about having the tube put up his nose. He got so mad that he arched his back and just yelled. Of course when he arched his back he really hurt because that pull in the incision so it took quite a while for him to settle back down. Poor little guy.
This morning the surgeon gave me permission to hold him (for clarification, the permission was to hold Samuel - not the surgeon). I could tell that when I picked Samuel up it did hurt him but he just clung to me. He did not want me to put him back down. His grip on my shirt was tight and he just buried his face in my chest. After he settled down he just kept looking at me and would let out a little "Maaaa." It is heart breaking. He is now resting peacefully and I am hoping that soon he will mess his diaper so that he can at least be given some clear liquids!

Here is a picture of David while we were waiting during the surgery yesterday.

We originally brought Curious George so that Samuel would have him, but it looks like George also comforted David a bit too!

We Got A Room

2009-02-11T14:30:00.002-05:00

Okay - we are now with Samuel in a room. It took longer than expected because there wasn't a room available in the ACU (acute care unit). We are in a shared room which isn't ideal, but at least we are back with Samuel. The wait was hard.
He still had eyes closed when we first saw him but when he heard my voice he started to wiggle and he took a firm hold of my finger. He knew his mommy was back with him.
Hopefully we will be upgraded to a less intense unit in the next couple of days. Samuel wont be eating still for a couple of days. He needs to poop before we can give him food. How exciting, his very first poopy diaper! Definitely will deserve its own blog post!