Can You Guess?

Can you guess what Abe is happily chewing on below?

These really do make the best teething toys. Ew.

Cancer Quilt - Finished!

I feel like I poured my heart into this quilt - while making it I thought a lot for the patient that will one day be warmed by it. A patient that is fighting for his or her life. I prayed a lot for that person, too. I finally finished it yesterday after Colin got my serger working perfectly for this project (bless him).

Here is the finished quilt (thank you, Jude, for holding it!):

I tied it with bubblegum pink embroidery floss and serged the edges with what else? Pink thread.

This is the back - I chose pink snuggle fabric normally found on baby blankets. It's super soft and warm, because during cancer treatments one's body is WAY cold!

I plan on doing a quilt for every three month visit to the oncologist. I can't wait to do the next one! I have just ordered fabric labels on Etsy saying it was made by me and I added the Hebrews 13:5 verse that got me through my cancer journey ("I will never leave you or forsake you.").

Mother's Day 2012

I was alone with the kiddos for Mother's Day this year, so I decided to pack them up and go to my favorite breakfast place Bumblekiss. It was crazy chaotic, but the food was good.

The kids blew milk bubbles - I remember doing those :)

I snuck off to my craft room while Abe was sleeping and worked on tying my cancer quilt. This is the longest craft project ever! I'm loving every second of it, though. Sissy looked at it and asked, "Is this for sick people, Mama?". She's so sweet.

Here we are at the restaurant.

Abe loved the food!

Juliet's Surgery

Juliet had her surgery yesterday, finally.We took her in two weeks ago, but they would not proceed because she had a cold with a slightly elevated temperature (99 degrees). If she showed any sign of a respiratory infection, they will not do a surgery that involves a breathing tube because she could get "reactive airways", as the anesthesiologist put it. So, yesterday was finally a go. I documented it in photos (it's so nice to feel well enough to finally use my big camera again and take pictures all the time :)).

Here she is pre-op sitting with Colin. Yes, Colin has a mustache - it's Mustache May at the fire department.

Sissy wore loos pajamas, but they still wanted her to put this gown on. She didn't love it - there was no pink!

At this point, she was given Valium and you can tell by her pupils that it was kicking in. She was so funny! They made this mask smell like bubble gum so she would want to breath it in in the operating room.

This is the sweetest picture - Colin was so tender with her, holding her hand, snuggling with her in the big chair, kissing her on the forehead. She napped after the surgery and didn't do the delirium thing that happens sometimes when little ones come out of anesthesia.

You can tell she is still pretty drugged here. She woke up asking for her "treat bag" from her friends Eli and Ruby. It was a pink dress that she wanted to put on before the IV was even taken out!

This was before surgery check-in - at like 6 a.m. Needless to say, a 4:30 wake up and taking care of Sissy wiped me out for the rest of the day. But bright pink lipstick always helps :)

Here she is walking into the hospital with her treat bag.

Leaving with her ears all fixed! She had tubes put in and adenoids removed - apparently the doctor sucked tons of snot out of her nose (she had a slight nosebleed all day) and removed a lot of thick glue-like fluid from her ears. The moment she was awake from surgery, she could hear again! It's such a blessing to have Sissy get this sense back - hearing birds, hearing waterfalls, hearing movies, etc.

I had Sissy watch a movie and she actually paid attention! It must be a whole new world for her.

Easter 2012

I forgot to post these pictures of our Easter. It was over at my brother's house and the kids had so much fun!

Abe being surly, as usual.

We hardly ever get family photos taken - this was so refreshing!

Here we all are as a family: Eden, Sarah, Grandma, Mom, Aunt Michelle, Joel, Me, Colin, Abe, Ella, Jude, Samuel and Sissy.

Yes, Jude chose his own outfit.

Abe and Sissy - classic.

She wears this dress around the house frequently now.