Byrne Family... of five!

New Places and Faces

2012-02-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

We are one week into our new schedule... which means all new schools, caregivers, and teachers for Samuel. What a great week it has been! I mentioned my anxiety a few posts ago, and this week has gone even better than I could have hoped. Samuel has handled these huge transitions so well!

A few photos pieced together to show you Samuel's new days :)

First day at the local program just for kids like Samuel... and he loved it!

He was smiling from almost the second we set foot in the classroom until he left, with brief pauses for things like me taking this photo and when I left. But they were brief!

On his way to the lunchroom for morning snack with his class. It's so wonderful, the three women who teach these kiddos are so good at what they do. There is also a lot of time when they break into really small groups, because the ages and abilities are so varied. For the most part, Samuel's group consists of two girls and one other boy. The four of them are just begging to be squeezed :)

This program is from 8-11 Monday - Friday. On Monday Rachel picks him up after school and heads off to PT, ST, then OT. Whew. Tuesday - Friday Samuel heads from his school to George and Olivia's school! I wanted to cry the first day, and every day since then, knowing they are together!

The bus brings him from one school to the next, and Samuel is like a celebrity :) All activity ceases on the playground for garbage trucks, fire trucks, and of course school buses. Samuel practically runs from the bus to the gate!

GREAT group photo to insert here, but wasn't sure other parents would be okay with it... boo.

Samuel gets there just in time for lunch... luckily everyone was looking away from the camera so I could post a photo :) For now, he has a shadow who stays with him at George and Olivia's school. She has been wonderful at both taking care of him and helping him to stay on task! What I mean by taking care of him, is she does the gtube feed, gets him settled in for nap (even though he never sleeps), and makes sure he's getting what he needs. While the school has a wonderful mentality that Samuel being there is good for everyone (very research based, I love it), we also wanted to be sure that he was getting what he needs and getting used to his new school without taking up all of the time of one of the teachers. After a month, we will re-evaluate to see if a shadow is necessary :)

Getting to this school right before lunch is perfect timing! Samuel gets to sit with a group of other children who are all eaters, and practicing family-style dining and serving themselves for the most part. What a great learning experience for him! Who knows, maybe he will be eating cake next year :)

How sweet was this, the school waited to celebrate their birthday until all three kiddos were there! The class made great cards with hand prints and names, I completely see them framed in the kids room. Cupcakes were included in this celebration, hence the sitting outside - so smart!

Off to the classroom!

From there comes nap time and then free play, including lots of time outside. It is a great time for Samuel to both play with his new classmates and gain independence :) His new friends have been so good to Samuel - they're excited that he's there, they help him, and they include him. He is grinning from the time I drop his off until the time I pick him up, we couldn't be happier! Another big step for my guy!

Three 3-year olds!

2012-02-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday #3! Oh my goodness! How has it been three years????

Things I did wrong on their birthday... never slowed down to make them pose for a group shot. Never slowed down to take a family picture. The good news, both of those can totally be re-created :)

Things I did right... went out on a limb and invited George and Olivia's entire class. Rented a bounce house. It was an awesome day!!! The kids were thrilled to have their friends over, and slept incredibly well after a day of bouncing :)

Something the other parents at the party mentioned... of course the kids loved being together, but it was also nice because the parents don't know each other well, so it was fun for us to get together! Plus the weather couldn't have been any better so it was a great day to hang out outside. I'm hoping they all had the same nap success I did :)

Something the folks at the party probably didn't know... and maybe part of the reason I had trouble slowing down (as mentioned above)... was that party was so much more than a celebration of 3-years for us :) My babies have made it to three! I hate that their start was so rough, but look at them now. Who knew?! They amaze me every single day, and we feel so lucky to be their parents. I can't imagine life without them, they make everything better, including me.

Plus, not only is this the first party we've ever actually invited kids to, there were just as many kids as adults :) My Samuel is getting healthier! At their first birthday, Samuel almost didn't make the party and then had a horrible next day... at their second birthday, we were psyched to all be home and he did much better, but was still very medically fragile... what a great third birthday! Maybe by his fourth birthday he will eat some cake? Can't hurt to hope! (If he is eating anything by his birthday next year, mark my words, I will find a way to make it into a cake!)

A few photos from the day...

Direct quote when I ordered the cake: I would like princesses and dump trucks, please.

Presto!

The main event - who knew one thing could bring so many hours of bouncing happiness?!

They dropped the bounce house off a few hours early due to a busy day for the rental company... I kept the kids content inside for a while, but the bouncing was irresistible! These three little monkeys had so much fun! At one point I thought they wouldn't even notice when their friends showed up, but I was wrong :)

Samuel enjoyed the bounce house, but was also happy to hop in his absolute favorite thing... one of his favorite words, too... swing!

Time for cake!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...

...Happy Birthday Olivia, George, and Samuel...

...Happy Birthday to you!

Look at my babies surrounded by their friends :) LOVE IT!

And... back to bouncing!

Until they just couldn't handle it anymore - ha ha!

These are whooped kiddos :)

Except this guy! I swear he spends nap time making up for lost time (awake!).

Qualified for Change

2012-01-20T20:10:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the final of four meetings, evaluations, reports, etc. regarding transitioning Samuel from BabyNet (our state's early intervention program for kids birth-3 years) to Department of Special Needs. Oh My Goodness, they will all be THREE next weekend!!!!!

We transitioned George as well, since he still received physical therapy, but as you can imagine, it was a much shorter conversation. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I could summarize all four meetings about George and the specialists findings in the amount of time it took me just to tell Samuel's medical history - ha!

Long story short, Samuel qualifies for services (OT, PT, ST, etc.) and a special class... George does not... and of course Olivia wasn't in the mix because she graduated all therapies months ago, yea! No big surprises there, the story is more about what comes next :) Samuel's entire schedule is about to change. AGH! Since he came home, any time we weren't there, Samuel has been cared for almost entirely in our home by trained professionals. For the last six months he has been attending a medical daycare twice per week. Starting the Monday after he turns 3, Samuel will be going to a school (the special class I mentioned above) for three hours every morning five days per week, and then joining Olivia and George and their class in the afternoon. Yes, I get teary every time I think about him being with his brother and sister! We are so excited!

The special class I mentioned, not only is it local (no more four hours in the car twice per week!), but it is awesome. I feel like I should write about it now, because like the school I love that we're about to leave, I've had some anxiety with the idea of change. It's kind of ironic I have so many issues with change... me, who moved across the country hoping to find a job (I did :) ) and moved another time to a new state where I knew nobody. Not that those qualify me as a risk-taker by any means, but I feel like they do show I'm up for new things, right? :) I know this anxiety about change is different because it's one of my babies, I get it.

Getting to be with George and Olivia and their class is just amazing for Samuel. The school has been truly incredible and they really understand how great this will be, for everyone! Samuel will have a shadow the first month, while we figure out if he needs that for the long term. Besides that, he will be right there in the mix for lunch, nap, and afternoon play. We have visited multiple times in the afternoon, and the other kids are so warm and welcoming of Samuel. Hooray!

Why the anxiety? I've met the teams at the new schools multiple times and am completely comfortable and really like both of them. Samuel will now never be more than 5 miles from me. He is going into both of these new schools with full disclosure to both staffs... in other words, they know what they're getting themselves into :) Samuel is a happy, funny, smart boy, who can hold his own. So, why???

Truth be told, I'm sitting here trying to write down why... and either I just don't know, or I can't find the words. Neither seem very like me, ha ha! I'm sure part of it is that this will be the first time Samuel has been cared for outside of a medical facility or our home, I know that's part of it. I know he is healthy enough, but it's still a very strange feeling to finally be sending him into the "real" world, a place where they don't have extra O2 sitting in the corner, and write medical notes about his every move, and gtubes aren't the norm, and know how to care for a trache... but wait, he doesn't have a trache anymore. Maybe he IS ready :) I know he is! And so do these teams of wonderful teachers and specialists.

I think another part must just be good old fashioned protective mama stuff. I want things to go well, I want Samuel to be understood by his teachers, I want him to be encouraged to keep growing... I never want him to think he can't do something. I want Samuel to have fun and learn and make friends... I want this to be the right decision. That's a big one, the right decision. I struggle a lot with knowing what the right decisions are, when truth be told, I know there is no one answer because every child is different. That doesn't help much, ha ha! I love my boy and I want the best.

I know this change is good, but saying goodbye to good things is difficult. We're not leaving our old caregivers because they weren't a good fit for Samuel, they have been amazing. We're making changes because this is the next step in the great adventure. The last six months have been full of growth and development, and I can't wait to see what the next six hold!

Bye Bye school!

We won't miss the long drives to get there, but we will miss the people. What a wonderful team of nurses, therapists, and caregivers! Samuel will also miss his best buddy... his first friend :) The last four days he was there, Samuel spent a little too much time walking around and saying Cabell's name! I know they're only 3 (almost), but I hope they're friends for life.

Bye bye Sherry, see you Monday!

Well, actually...

... what do you mean you aren't here Monday? Are you going on vacation?

Sherry has been Samuel's home nurse since March, 2011, and we are so thankful for her! Part of me is glad Samuel doesn't understand, because I know he would be tearing up right along with me. Goodbye is so tough, especially when you see someone who not only takes care of your child, but really cares for them. It's been a crazy last couple years, and we have been so blessed to find two women who were each willing and able to be full-time with Samuel... Stefanie for the first 11 months, and Sherry for the last 11. The care for him has been seamless! And, they have both loved my boy :)

Thankfully, the last 11 months have been less medically involved than the first 11 months Samuel was home, mostly due to no trache :) But, nothing has slowed down... we've still caught scary sicknesses, we averaged 6-7 therapies per week, there were numerous follow up phone calls and appointments, coordination of home medical supplies, etc. And of course DB still a full-time teacher and me working part time. I don't know how we would have ever managed the last 11 months and provided Samuel with everything he needs without Sherry! And beyond that, as I mentioned before, it has been so much more than just care-giving... my boy has been with someone who cares for his future and works with him on everything. Yes, we are incredibly blessed!

Humorous

2012-01-16T20:29:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was humorous, especially after my post less than two weeks ago about how the germs were gone! See where this is going? It was either laugh or cry last weekend, and there was no time to cry, that would have required at least a minute to grab a tissue, and I only had time to grab a bucket. Ew.

Overview:

Thursday - Samuel gets horrendous diarrhea (he can't throw up because he has a nissen, so we think sometimes this is his outlet).
Friday, 7am - DB leaves for brothers weekend - yea!!!
Friday, noon - I get a call, Olivia is throwing up at school. Luckily Samuel's nurse was able to work that day, we certainly couldn't send him to school is his current state, so I left work to pick up O. She actively threw up every 30 minutes for the rest of the night, including on the car ride home. But wait...
Friday, 2pm - I get a call, George is throwing up at school. This is the point that I actually laughed out loud :) You've got to be kidding me... I can't take the two at home anywhere, besides there is still throw up in the car from my last trip. DB in Florida, Omi at least an hour or more away, luckily Rachel (my kids BFF/nanny I've mentioned before) was just getting off work so she went to get G. Hooray! Then he threw up on the way home. I'm so lucky Rachel loves my kids as much as they love her :)
Friday, 4:30pm - I get a call, Sherry, Samuel's nurse who left a few hours earlier, has this darn virus too. Ugh oh, it makes adults sick too?!
Friday, 5pm - I get a call, DB is sick on his trip. Ugh. Hasn't seen a hockey game in four years, and on the way to one with his brothers, and with great seats nonetheless, it hits him. Let's just say I feel bad for the parking lot. No hockey game for the boys.
Friday, 10:15pm - The last child throws up, yea! Of course I didn't know that at the time - would have made the night less stressful if I had, but it was great because...
Friday, 10:30pm - No need to call anyone, it hits me. Although I still maintain that I did NOT get sick, it was simply sympathy nausea that turned into sympathy throw ups. Ha ha!

Oh my goodness, I've heard of a house full of sick kids, but I had never experienced it! Insane! Although honestly, I felt the worst for DB. Good thing is that while this virus was powerful, but only lasted about 12 hours, then recovery began. DB was able to salvage the weekend with a posh movie experience and a trip to the beach, and I was allowed to recover with much assistance from Kristen and Omi... they are saints, which is apparently why the virus didn't attack them ;) Although that doesn't explain why both Sherry and Rachel got it, because in my book they deserve gold stars too.

Had to record this in my "baby book"! A memory I'm sure to remind the kids of when they're older :)

Our sickness set up... carpet covered, bucket and paper towels ready... bring it on!

I love that Samuel is holding court with Chicka chicka boom boom :) Ha!

Um, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or what?!

I have no idea how this "garage" is standing, but I fear for the trash truck!

Kristen built this with the kiddos, and Omi and I stared at it in amazement for what seemed like hours before someone finally knocked it down :)

Visit from Mo and Do

2012-01-08T21:09:00.001-08:00

As usual, it was great to have BB's parents in town! They came for 10 days of Christmas :) We are spoiled to have DB's mom living near by, and it makes me so happy when we can have my parents here, too. It's also been fun to see how quickly they warm right up to Mo and Do (almost immediately)! Through skype we've managed to get in some good face time, and the kids are older now and just remember more :)

The house they were staying in (which is so incredible! Great story of wonderfully kind and friendly people) is only a few blocks from us. I had a morning with my mother, and there were a few mornings Mo and Do went for an exercise, but for the most part they were fixtures at our house during their visit. It was great! They were able to go to Samuel's school one day, check out all the kiddos weekly therapies, and had lots of down time to just be with the kids. It was wonderful.

A few of the fun photos :)

One from Samuel's school...
on the day they opened some Christmas presents :)

Can't Keep Us Down!

2012-01-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

We had a little bit of a damper, just like everyone else I talked to this season, our house battled it's share of sickness. Olivia got a quick 24-hour bug, not fun, but quick, there's something to be said for that :) Not even enough time to find humor in the situation and snap a photo, sheesh.

George was hit a little harder, with a sickness that lasted about a week. No real fever, just some little spikes, but he was completely "mushy," with no energy, which is very NOT George. Poor kid even missed school for three days, but we were very proud of Olivia for going on her own :) That's a big deal!

Passed out... sweet boy.

Back to normal and ready to go!

Unfortunately, Samuel was hit the hardest and has been on oxygen since December 24th... until today! Hooray! The crazy part was his virus seemed to be the easiest, the least difficult to handle... no fever, no "sickness," but it kicked him straight in the lungs and hard. On the morning of the 24th we woke up to a boy with o2 sats in the 60's, which is enough to turn a person a light shade of gray. (Typical o2 sats are high 90's.) He looked awful, and to be honest, I was a mess... it brought back way too many memories. We started the o2, got to the pediatrician and spoke with our pulmonologist, and got on some steroids and extra albuterol nebulizers.

Due to our home equipment and experience, Samuel got to come home! This was a huge relief. As I've said before, the hospital is where all the germs live. Plus, I just knew we could keep Samuel stable at home... lucky for us our pediatrician and pulmonologist agreed. I cried again on the drive home, this time happy tears :)

You may have noticed the oxygen tubing in some photos, but don't worry, things are headed in the right direction :) It's a tough reminder that my boy's lungs are still pretty bad... it's been so long since we've been on oxygen we almost gave all the tanks and concentrator back but decided to wait until summer. Good thing!

Back on o2, with some additional meds to help Samuel breathe easier, he was smiling by that first afternoon back on oxygen :)

Nothin' can keep this kid down!

Of the 15 days he was on oxygen, besides the first two, you never would have guessed he needed the extra o2. Amazing. He was so good about keeping that darn nasal cannula in, and even figured out how to put it back in his nose (almost) when I caught him taking it out :) He was still the happiest boy, running and squealing with delight!

Year End Benture

2012-01-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

We spent the last day in 2011 doing one of our favorite things... on a Benture! This was a new one, we've spent plenty of days at Hunting Island, but this time we strolled down a back path for about 25 minutes rather than just parking near the sand. It was a beautiful day!

Someone is excited about our adventure!

DB offered to push... BB did not object :)

Due to the season, our walk was not only full of laughing and thorough inspection of our surroundings, but sporadic Christmas songs from the kids.

Love that Samuel swagger! The faster he moves, the better the swag :)
Feeling a bit better, he was able to come off his oxygen for about 30 minutes, yea!

DB's at it again! Look familiar?

Late afternoon at the beach makes for excellent shadows.

Bird impersonations :)

Really?! Acting like birds? Ha ha :)

He Nibbled The Cheese!

2011-12-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

Christmas was incredible with our family this year! The kids are at an age that I could run the video camera non-stop... they were truly excited, and surprised, and intrigued, by just about everything... which made for priceless memories!

Christmas Eve we were battling some illnesses, so decided to stay home. (Yes, you will see Samuel with oxygen... more to come, but he's doing okay.) The kids were psyched to open up some great sleeping bags, maybe even more thrilled they had their names on them, and spent a while making sure each of them was cozy :) Bedtime was easy, because of course they really didn't get that Santa was coming that night!

First thing in the morning they were shocked to find a little train set in their room, and couldn't believe Santa had been in their room, it clicked :) Having no clue there was more waiting, they played in that room for a long time. That could have been it for presents and they would have been completely satisfied... I cherished that part about this Christmas, ha ha!

Whoa... love it!

Me too! Mommy, I need a bow (direct quote) :)

Samuel enjoyed the train, but his excitement peaked with this shopping cart! The kids have one outside, so we were really surprised at how much joy Samuel found in it... he pushed it, and bear, around all day. Pausing just long enough to give bear kisses and put him back in the seat :)

George and Olivia were thrilled that Santa ate ALL of his cookies,
leaving only the crumbs, and that Santa Mouse had nibbled on this cheese!
They still love to tell that story :)

We had a nice, leisurely breakfast because, again, they had no idea the presents under the tree were for them, much less that we would be opening them that morning.

All three kiddos enjoying the same toy at the same time, now THAT is great!

Every present came with a huge smile!

Yes, Samuel is taking a little rest in the back... his energy was on and off most of the day. But like I said, every day he got better and better.

George and Olivia helped each other, and everyone else open presents. As you can see, no matter who the present was for, they thought it was just awesome! Who knew Olivia would be so excited that George got some new PJ's?! Ha!

The barn was one of Samuel's favorites...

... especially the new animal friends inside :)

The kids enjoyed their after dinner treat, singing
Happy Birthday to Jesus with their Reece's Cups :)

By the end of the day, we all passed out happy and content :)

Thankfully it was only Samuel who did so on the kitchen floor!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Cheers to 2012!

What a difference a year makes... can't wait to see what this one has in store!

Deck the Halls

2011-12-24T20:10:00.000-08:00

Decorating for Christmas was a fast favorite among our crew! Once again, we were invited to help Omi hang the ornaments on her tree... and this year the ornaments were better than the tissue :) (Last year.) In addition, the kids went along for the ride to pick out Christmas trees twice and had a blast.

One of the most common phrases in our house after the tree went up was, "no touch!" Samuel loved the tree, and loved inspecting it as often as possible, and at first loved pulling on the branches and ornaments a little too rough :) He quickly learned the best ways to get as close to the tree as humanly possibley, many times with branches poking him in the face, without touching it - ha ha! It was priceless.

It's so much fun to watch them grow... but man, some times it feels like they're getting too big, too quickly!

Santa and Samuel

2011-12-22T18:54:00.000-08:00

Samuel's school has officially, completely, spoiled him and his classmates :) You may remember Halloween, and Christmas has once again blown me away. First, Santa came to visit... the photos say it all. These kiddos had the best time getting photos with Santa, and I know how much the parents appreciated the chance to do something like this. A few posts ago I talked about being thankful and not taking things for granted... while Samuel is healthier this Christmas, I remember how it feels to have a child you can't take in group settings, which generally means not doing things like Santa Claus. What a great opportunity this was!

Second, one of the companies who went over and above during the Halloween festivities, dressing up to come and give the kids their goodies, threw them a little Christmas party! Each kid had a handful of secret Santa's, and they even hired a puppeteer for entertainment. I was blown away. Actually, Mo and Do were blown away :) I couldn't make it to everything (the commute is just a killer), but it worked perfectly because Mo and Do were in town and were able to take Samuel and be part of the fun. Love how things work out!

The Day Santa Visited

Couldn't resist a few classroom photos - such a handsome boy!

Don't worry Samuel, she's not trying to steal your toy - ha ha!

There is one friend he doesn't mind sharing with...

can't believe they're sitting in the same chair :)

Hi! I think I like you...

... pretty cool fur on your coat...

.... love the beard...

... this guy is great!

The candy canes made for great decorations,

and I thought they may even tempt Samuel to take a lick...

... but mostly they were just fun to crunch into 100 little pieces :)

Christmas Adventures

2011-12-19T19:29:00.000-08:00

This Christmas is entirely different than last Christmas at our house! I'm guessing most parents of nearly-three year olds say that, their level of understanding has quadrupled in the last year, but it is so much more than that for us.

I am loving watching my children enjoy this holiday season! Just as they really began to understand birthdays in the last six months or so, they are really feeling the excitement of Christmas. We're in a perfect place right now (although I completely understand it may change by next week)... they think Santa is so great but have no idea what he does, and they are so excited that Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus' birthday :) I love it!

Olivia woke up one morning last week and excitedly asked me if today was Jesus' birthday. When I replied that no, it was not today, she said that while that was okay, she already sang happy birthday that morning. "Christmas like a child" is right, can you imagine if none of us knew we were getting presents on Christmas?! Where would our joy be focused?! They love the decorations, they love the songs, they can feel the excitement, and they are so excited for THE birthday. Makes me smile :)

As I mentioned, this year is more than the traditional differences of kids growing up and getting wiser... this year we are out and about! First, it's crazy that it's only been a year since Samuel started crawling, and now he's trying to run! I remember the incredible feeling of watching him finally learn to crawl - it opened up his entire world. We are definitely enjoying his newest mobility, walking, too. Before this fall, anywhere we went Samuel had to either be in a stroller/wagon, be held, or be on the floor. Now he can take off and either follow George and Olivia around or explore on his own, like a big boy!

Second, and even more impressive, last year not only did he still have his trache, but Samuel was still weening off the ventilator. Hard to believe, part of me feels like the ventilator was a lifetime ago, and of course part of me still worries when I wake up in the morning that I missed an alarm (just an old habit, Samuel doesn't have any alarms anymore). Since last Christmas, he has completely weened off the vent, weened off extra oxygen, and gotten rid of this trache. AGH! Sweet, sweet progress!

The kicker about last year is that we were having conversations with our pulmonologist about needing to skip most of the plans I was concocting because Samuel's lungs were just to weak to be exposed to a lot of people. Outings meant risking Samuel's health, and sickness at that time really could have put him back in the hospital in a minute. Again, progress is SO good!

This year, we are on the move! Which partially explains my lack of blogging, that and broken internet for a while there :) More stories to come, but for now photos of the trains! This was an exhibit put on by our local public library... two rooms of trains and their builders! Excuse the photo quality, was learning to use my new phone - yea!

From the time we arrived, this was about all we saw of George :)

He was great about asking questions, but even then barely took his eyes off the trains,

he loved them!

My best attempt at getting George's face in a photo :)

He was so focused, taking a few breaks to laugh at some funny houses, animals, people, or other things in each train village.

Samuel liked the trains, too! Although his attention span was pretty quick, once he'd seen one train, he had pretty much seen them all. The good news, I mentioned this was at a public library and Samuel LOVES books!

Olivia enjoyed the train... villages! The trains whizzing along was fun, but she loved to ask about the parts of each village, including the purpose of each little house :)

Thank you for bringing me here, Daddy :)

New Wheels

2011-12-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

It was a Wednesday evening at our house... DB came home a bit later than normal, and BB announced to the kids, "Yea! Daddy's home! And he got a new car!" George's eyes instantly widened as he excitedly asked, "Is it a dump truck?!" Ha ha!

We did not buy a dump truck, but we did get a great new family mobile... welcome to the minivan club! It was time, we needed two cars that could both fit our family of five, and three car seats do not fit in one row, we've tried! Believe it or not, our only disappointment with joining this club has nothing to do with the minivan - it's pretty sweet - but our sadness is that we had to trade in the Subaru... the scooby. That car has a lot of memories...

We've had the scooby for five years, during which time we got married and had three kids... yep, a lot of memories! When my last car died, we tested out lots of things, but when DB asked me what I really wanted, it was a Subaru. He looked high and low for just the right outback, and eventually found it! It took us to beach a lot, and on a ton of road trips... it was perfect for bringing along the dogs (our first two children :) ).

It was also the car we drove nearly every day for a year to see Samuel... that car has been through a lot of emotions during those nearly 3-hour round trips. Including a day that will live in the back of my mind forever... in July of '09, when the doctors told us we had to prepare ourselves for the worst with Samuel, and we had to make some decisions. DB and I rode together a few times during those two weeks, and during one of those trips we found the quiet, private, time and talked. As my friend Marianne put it, that car also has a lot of secrets :)

Crazy I've written an entire post about a car... and that a car carries with it so many emotions. Loved the scooby! To see our kids running around the new van squealing with delight makes it a little easier :) It's all George has talked about for the last few weeks, even though it's not a dump truck. (It does take most people a few minutes to realize what a "vee-yan" is, ha ha!)

Benture

2011-11-28T18:24:00.000-08:00

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we've been going on lots of adventures lately ("bentures")... one of which is to the Sands. The Sands is a public dock and little beach located a few blocks from George and Olivia's school. On days like the one pictured below, we pick up G and O and head down for a little sand-in-the-toes time :) Obviously these were taken from the week of Halloween (gotta love the festive shirts!)... although it did warm back up a little lately, so we've been hitting the Sands often trying to soak it up before it gets cold again!

The entire family loves Bentures!

S is for Samuel!

Olivia and George love letters! Actually, they love guessing what the word is... in their world, S usually stands for Samuel, one of their three S-name friends, or School :)

Olivia used the wide-open space to show us her new ballerina dance :)

Have no clue where she learned about a ballerina dance!

Daddy: I love this kid!

Samuel: I love this daddy!

Love you too :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

We spent a wonderful thanksgiving feasting with Omi, Uncle Jay, Linda, Madison, and Josh - the kids loved it! I'm pretty sure everyone was well entertained, to say the least :) At dinner, when we asked who would like to say grace, Olivia volunteered... she smiled, looked at everyone holding hands, and literally, she said "Grace"... ha ha!

Each night before bed, George and Olivia say their prayer, after which we thank God for all our blessings of the day. The last two weeks, the list has almost always started with one purple polka dot (Olivia) and dump trucks (George). Then we generally get into names of family and friends we see often, names of their friends at school, Peach-lo and Reflux (stuffed dogs), the van, the beach, and almost every part of their day... I know we're ready for bed when they start looking around and thanking God for "a fan, a drawer, a door, etc..." :)

The part I love is that they are thankful for every, single, part of their day. Everything! Whether it's something we do, or someone we see, every day... or something new and special... they are thankful for it.

Thinking back to the early days, when the thankfulness that overwhelmed me was for every day that my children were alive... I'm reminded not to take things for granted. Between knowing that feeling so deeply, and watching all three of my children every day, I am incredibly thankful quite often :)

I've never done this before, but I want to share another blog. While I'm not really sure how to measure thankfulness, a lot of this blog hit home. It's from a mother of a special needs child, and I have to say, when I read this is makes me smile at all the things my Samuel has accomplished, things he was not guaranteed. It also makes me hold my breath just a little thinking about the future... but I can rest easy, luckily there's someone else in charge, and I am thankful for His grace and His plan (even though I may not always understand it) every day.

Olivia and George spent some time preparing their own feast last week...

Caught in the act of cooking in the living room :)

George doesn't mind, he continues the lesson...

Here Olivia, you try...

... just like this!

Thirty minutes later this is where I caught them... cooking in their "car,"

but this time they each have their own spatulas :)

Weekend with Do

2011-11-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

When he was on this side of the country for a conference, Do (my dad) made a pit stop on his way home to visit us the first weekend in November. It was such a treat to have him here! I can't lie, made me miss my mom... but we really loved having him here. Plus, they will both be here for Christmas in just six weeks! (Wow, Christmas is in six weeks?)

We try to skype with Mo and Do a couple times a month, which is nice because Do wasn't a complete stranger to them when he arrived. In fact, all three gravitated towards him very quickly, I loved it! Samuel even tapped him on the back at one point and said, "Do" :)

Good Morning!

The kids thought it was great that when they woke up, Do was right there :)

A train! Since Do's visit, George has continued making these trains all over the house :)

Do was amazed at how much Samuel has changed since their last visit, and Samuel loved showing off his new tricks :)

Even Olivia warmed up quickly to Do, which is generally quite a task!

Beach Trip

It was a little chilly, but no one seemed to mind... once we pulled into the park, it was all smiles!

Plus, we checked out the lighthouse, which the kids have never done.

Samuel and Do taking a stroll.

The second George's feet hit the sand, he was scooping!

The balance beam practice is paying off :)

I love the sand so much... I might just get really excited and lick it!

Ack! Bad idea! Bad idea!

Beach buddies

Woo!

Hoo!

Group photos rock!

BB and Do: Cheese!

Olivia: Hmmm, what's that over there?

George: That light house is really tall!

Samuel: Hi Do! Hey, Do, over here!

Sunday Morning News

Just like Do!

Technology

2011-11-15T19:44:00.000-08:00

The kids have always loved cousin Madison, but during her last visit week, Samuel made a discovery... Madison's phone! The photos aren't great, the flash wiped the color right out, but they were too funny not to share. These are completely in the order they were taken!

Madison is minding her own business, probably either texting, looking at facebook, or sharing youtube videos with DB... then Samuel toddles along...

Whatcha got there?!

(DB and Samuel's nurse show him songs on theirs, so I guarantee that's what he was hoping to find :) )

Samuel: "Hmmm... mind if I see this?" Madison is so patient...

Madison: "Sure Samuel, let me show you something..."

Samuel mustered up one, good, cheesy, fake smile for me. Stinker.

He might as well have given me the I'm Busy Mom sigh...

Samuel: "Ooooo... ahhhhh"

How about my turn again?! :)

On Sale?

2011-11-13T17:57:00.000-08:00

Our family of five has had a wonderful last few weekends! We are getting out and about, and the kids are loving it just as much as DB and me.

We've done stuff like the beach, the Veteran's Day parade, Omi's house, even just doing errands. Of course, not much gets done when the five of us go together to do errands :) But we have fun checking out all the sites. Today we went to Lowe's, and in addition to a new light fixture, checked out every. single. Christmas. decoration. Actually, it was wonderful seeing my babies faces light up at each new, sparkly, thing. Olivia asked me, "mommy, who is that man up there?" It was a giant motion sensored Santa Claus :)

But the best comment today came on our way to the car ... we were walking out of Lowe's and DB had all the goods in his cart and I had all the kids in mine. This woman paused as she drove by me with the biggest smile on her face and asked, "Wow, are they on sale?!" My reply, "Yep, three for the price of one!" :)

Other great comments from the last week:

"Turn it back on!" by Olivia after Omi blew out her birthday candle. The candle was re-lit multiple times.
"River", "Monkey", "Elmo", "Help"... all new words this week for Samuel! He has signed "help" before and loves to make monkey noises, but never actually said the words!
"I have an urge!" by George... after bath running around naked, I didn't want him to have an accident on the carpet, but was busy getting Samuel and Olivia dressed, so told him to let me know if he had an urge (to potty).
"Did someone poop?" said by DB and I... pretty sure we've said that every day for the last few years :)

Great photos from the last week :)

Uncle Jay gets tackled!

Uncle Jay gets double-teamed :)

Such a little man :)

Even though he's been doing it with ease for some time now, it still amazes me to turn around and see Samuel sitting in a chair or on the couch. My comfort is in his ability to also get off the couch, he's such a big kid now!

Veteran's Day Parade

I was so proud of all three kids, they did a great job at their first parade!

Olivia and George were so good at waving their flags and telling the veterans "Good Morning"... and Samuel, well, Samuel was really good at being patient, and then very good at showing off his walking skills going up and down the block we watched the parade from :)

More than halfway through I realized we had been so focused on all the neat things in the parade that I had no photos... but getting George to smile was a piece of cake, he loved the motorcycles!

Between the marching bands, the actual marching of rotc and other military groups, the cool cars, the pirettes (especially Miss-Kenzie), and all of the other things that go vroom, George and Olivia were almost awestruck!

There was another fun part about the parade that I completely forgot about...

let me zoom in...

... check out how much candy those little hands can hold!

I count at least six things plus her flag, and she was not letting any of it go!

I'm pretty sure the firetrucks trumped everything though... candy included :)

Omi and DB took turns walking with Samuel - he loved it!

But he was not very happy about the parade ending...

... not even George could cheer him up!

Happy Birthday Omi!

I mentioned last month that the kids attended their first kid-birthday party,

and since then they love talking about their birthdays and even prepare birthday cakes, birthday muffins, and birthday waters quite often in their kitchen :) The fact that it was Omi's birthday was almost too much! They loved singing to her and talking about it all day.

Halloween... The Real Deal!

2011-11-03T19:18:00.003-07:00

I suppose four posts about Halloween seems a bit excessive... but I jumped right back into taking photos and simply could not have posted them all at once :) Ha ha! It's just so much harder to take as many photos - they can all run in different directions! I love that... they can ALL run. Samuel has started trying to run lately, he actually moves slower, but he stomps his feet really hard and quickly and smiles as if he's running 100 miles per minute.

Olivia, George, and Samuel all loved their costumes this year! They had absolutely no idea who they were, but could have cared less... Olivia was excited to be a blue fish and George was excited to be a turtle. One of the best parts was not only were they easy, but also comfortable and warm. While I missed some of the joy in making their costumes this year, I have to say, I was a fan of the store-bought costumes :) Actually, I completely scored - our friend who has twins handed down two of the three.

Flash back time! Click here for Halloween 2009, and here for Halloween 2010. Blows my mind! I'll say it again, what a difference a year makes.

Best attempts at a group photo...

believe me, there were more attempts than just these two :)

Samuel: Let's keep moving!

George: I have an itch on my cheek!

Olivia: Yum, check out this candy!

Individuals were much easier :)

Staring Nemo...

...Dori...

... and Little Squirt!

Trick-or-treating is fun!

We went to about five houses, and each one was like a new fun adventure. I loved watching George and Olivia's faces light up when a smiling face came to the door and then gave them candy :)

Come on, Omi!

If Samuel's feet were on the ground, he was walking... here, there, and back again.

Happy momma!

Happy daddy!

Crazy children... eating "ice cream"?!

Kristen was such a good sport, I'm sure it was because the "ice cream" was so tasty ;)

Our last stop was at our friend's house, David and Marianne, who have a Halloween party every year. It's great! It's for kids, adults, teenagers, everyone - just to enjoy Halloween. I love that when we moved, it was into their neighborhood :)

Samuel was fascinated by the fire pit...

Mr. David (as G and O call him) made sure Samuel didn't end up IN the fire pit :)

Once at the party, G and O took a second to relax and have a slice of pizza and a drink... while Samuel was a combination of on the run and a complete snuggle bug.

Josh is one of his best buddies!

I will spare you the photos of later that night... about 15 minutes after we walked into the door, the I'm-tired-and-crying-but-I-don't-know-why-and-I-can't-stop started :) Sweet kiddos! What a great night!

Halloween... at George and Olivia's School!

2011-10-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

Three schools, three celebrations :) Loved each of them!

This one was at George and Olivia's school... they have 1-year olds through 4-year olds, one class of each age... and we all went on a little Halloween parade around the neighborhood where the school is located. It's such a cute little area! The kids had a great time riding and taking in the sights. It didn't hurt that my two and friends Lily and Collins piled into the most comfy wagon, ever. Olivia didn't want to get out! Plus, they loved that mommy and Omi got to come, too :) Just like at Samuel's school, I also enjoyed chatting with other moms. Sharing stories about 2-year olds always makes for a good time!

In taking photos, I realized the only thing harder than getting three kids to look at the camera and smile, is to ask four! Ha ha! They had a blast... I need to improve my photo timing to catch some smiles...

But wait, look! They're all looking at me at the same time!?

Um, no... they're looking at something entirely more interesting...

Sheesh!

Stops included the fire station, which every kid loved, and a retirement home...

in which I was super impressed with George and Olivia! They actually spoke to people! They said Happy Halloween and Have a Nice Day and even answered a few yes/no questions. I'm so amazed they're starting to come out of their shells around new people! I guess I should start to worry too... I'm okay with the tantrums and no's just happening at home :)

Even getting two children to actually smile at the camera was a chore :)

Halloween... at Daddy's School!

2011-10-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, mommy and daddy work at the same school... but for some reason George and Olivia refer to it as Daddy's school :) Who knows!

Anyway, the Halloween fun continued on Friday! In the afternoon, our school had their annual Fall Festival and it was great! Lots of fun things for the kids to do... last year they just kind of walked around looking a bit in shock, this year they actually participated in some of the booths!

Crazy, check out photos here from last year's Fall Festival. I feel like that was a million year ago and yesterday all at the same time :)

Not a very Halloween-y photo... but the first place we visited was Mr. Dalton's classroom and as usual, when George sees a desk, he has to sit in it! He actually sat in all the desks, but that's a lot of photos :)

The first game we tried was Go Fish... George and Olivia were very hesitant about this giant fishing pole, but once they put their lines over the sheet and "reeled in" some treats they were good to go :) The teeth were one of the first treats :)

Classic duck pond... once again, a bit leery at first,

but within minutes wanted to catch every duck!

Samuel didn't play many games, but that didn't stop him from having fun :)

Scary noise... Roar!

Pumpkin bowling!

George - chuck it down the lane! (Not sure he got the "bowling" concept!)

Olivia - take aim and release, just like a pro :)

Enjoying a treat... for some a lollipop, and for others some pine straw :)

Just Because They're Cute...

Halloween... at Samuel's School!

2011-10-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

Part One of our Halloween adventure started on Friday... the kiddos at Samuel's school went trick-or-treating! It was such an incredible morning. The school is located in a business park, and a bunch of the businesses participated by putting together treats for all the kids. I'm telling you, incredible!

I can't stress enough how amazing the employees of these businesses were. They gave treats individually to every kid, they smiled, they tried to interact (even though many of the children aren't great at reciprocating), and they were just so kind. Not only were all of the people wonderful to the children, but the treats they put together were so thoughtful. They were literally little packages prepared for each kiddo... in just one business park the kids got all the treats and attention that any kid needs on Halloween! As a mom of a non-eater, I immediately noticed there were quite a few non-food items that Samuel would really enjoy! He won't eat candy, but he has been playing with Halloween toys!

Plus, I got to meet a few moms and dads! One family in particular, a friend-of-a-friend I've heard about since the child was born... the child is currently one-year post heart transplant and is the cutest, sweetest child you will ever meet. When I finally met him at the school (after hearing about him for two years) I got teary - he just amazes me. I love that he and Samuel are in the same class!

Photo time! I took way too many... here is the edited version :)

Cabell and Samuel :)

Sweet boys :)

Hmmm.... yep, I love the glasses!

Samuel was a walkin' fool!

He was practically running, it was so much fun to watch... he had the best time!

I'm not kidding, practically running! At one point, the bag got too heavy... wish I had a photo of Samuel leaning over while walking to compensate :)

The nurses were awesome about dressing up (I was lame - didn't even occur to me).

It was cute to watch Samuel figure out who people were :)

One of the places had this dog that sang and danced to Halloween music - the kids loved it! THIS kid loved it a lot...

... next thing we knew... ha ha! Kisses!

Samuel and Cabel had a similar thought process... "I wonder what's in here?"

At every single door these two wanted to explore... curious boys :)

At one of the businesses, most of the employees even dressed up!
And check out their patience... not only with this crazy momma wanting to take photos,
but even with Samuel wanting to check out the costumes!

Group photo with my boy :)

I don't think Samuel minded all of the attention :)

Class photo!

What to Say?

2011-10-23T19:24:00.001-07:00

I'm at a bit of a loss for a subject for this post...

We haven't had any doctors appointments since my last post...
We don't have any major appointments coming...
I considered posting about our daily schedule, but then I realized that although it's a bit crazy, it's not really interesting to anyone but me :)
George and Olivia are still loving school and are more fun (and get funnier) every day, but not sure that's an entire post?
Samuel is still impressing everyone with his gains in mobility and more recent gains in speech... he's imitating everything! Again, not sure this is an entire post?

The worst part is I've completely slacked on taking photos! I thought I could just do a general look-what-we've-been-up-to-post, but realized I haven't been taking pictures. Which is really a shame, because ever since our epiphany in Atlanta that we can get out and about relatively easy now, we've gone on lots of "bentures" (G and O's version of adventure). I can tell by the vocabulary during play time that it's been noted... they often pretend to go to the Farmer's Market, or talk about the Sands, the pool, or Daddy's School (the bleachers, the gym, the playground, Daddy's classroom, they love it all). They also talk about going to the doctor since getting their flu vaccines ;)

We even went to our very first birthday party yesterday, and I didn't take a single photo! This was a monumental event in my mind... and DB enjoyed a few chuckles at my expense... I was so excited. We've been so isolated from other kids due to health concerns for Samuel, that our kiddos have never had any friends their own age. One of G and O's classmates had a birthday party, and all five Byrne's went, and loved it! I will admit, I did have to ask a lot of questions of a good friend of mine... what to wear? Was Samuel invited? What would happen at the party? What about presents? Go ahead, you can laugh at my expense too :) The party was exactly as I pictured... kids playing, fun food, a bounce house, and even a princess pinata. Needless to say, I think my three will have a few more expectations come their 3rd birthday :) Ha ha! The kids had a blast... and all three (BB went with Samuel) ventured into their very first bounce house. The squeals of laughter were awesome!

In an effort to get the ball rolling, today I took photos with my phone... as you can see from the poor quality. But at least it's a start! We went walking with Omi downtown - who knew a few blocks could be so much fun!

The crew :)

In case any passersby were wondering, my children wore ALL of their "I've Been Vaccinated" stickers. Ha ha!

BB - "George, can you give the flamingo a pat?"

George - "Mommy, check it out... this is way better than a pat!"

Olivia - "Best idea ever, George!"

Omi and Samuel taking a stroll :)

Samuel... are you having fun?

No words necessary, it's not hard to interpret that cheesy grin :)

After the walk... I just love that nose crinkle :)

"See" you in 6 months

2011-10-09T18:37:00.001-07:00

Our appointment last Friday, a follow up from Samuel's eye surgery three weeks ago, was GREAT! For right now, we don't need to have the second surgery! We're not in the clear, there is still a chance he will need it... but for now, we're good :)

The simplest explanation is that for the first surgery, they loosened the muscles around the outside of the eye. The goal is that the inner muscles will strengthen on their own after that surgery... but you never know because everyones muscles react differently. Therefore, it is possible that the inner muscles will need to be surgically tightened.

Check it out - our next appointment is in SIX months! The doctor said Samuel's eyes were exactly what he was hoping to see! No more eye patch for now, and our fingers are crossed very tightly that his eyes continue to get better so there will not be a second surgery.

Hooray!

On another note, Samuel and I had a really good visit to the hospital the day of his eye appointment (the eye doctor is on the first floor of the hospital). Not only did we get to see some of our NICU and therapy friends, but Samuel got to show off his walking! We did take the walker, we went quite a long way, but once we reached our destinations, the walker went into the corner and Samuel showed off his new skills. It was so wonderful to see the smiles on people's faces! To be able to share in this kind of joy with the folks who were there for all the scariness is just amazing. It is such a neat feeling to go back and watch Samuel say, "look, you cared for me, you helped me, and I'm incredible! Thank you"

A random collection of photos... some favorites that haven't made it to the blog yet, some from July, some from a few weeks ago, and some in between :)

Took the photo because it was cousin Madison's dress when she was little...

posted it to the blog because that pose is impressive!

Many hours are spent wearing mommy and daddy's shoes :)

Love that smile!

Enjoying a good chat with a good friend!

On to enjoying a good book, all by myself :)

My George and his handsome smile... part 1...

... and part 2...

... and part 3 :) I couldn't choose one!

It's always a good time for dress up!

Olivia and her accessories:)

Poor Samuel, he got an ear infection and spiked a 103 fever very quickly.

As soon as we walked in the door, he curled up on the doormat and fell asleep. Sweet boy!

Terrible camera-phone photo - but SO COOL! This was the first time DB saw Samuel get onto the couch by himself!!! I'm telling you, he is moving on up! DB texted it to me and I almost fell out of my chair.

Realized there weren't any photos of Samuel smiling... which he is constantly doing. So, a cute waiting room photo... who in the world can smile like this for an hour in a doctors office waiting room?! That's our boy!

A classic group shot from early July... one having of an entirely different conversation, one cheesing it up, and one on his own mission :)

Our New World, Part 2

2011-10-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

I started writing this many moons ago... but Week Two of scyool, and every week since then, has been great!

G still tells me that "mommies always come back" and O is definitely more clingy than normal, but they really like going to school! We heard the first two weeks would be rough, so we were amazed at the transformation that happened in just one. (Week One) G and O have started talking about their new friends and teachers a lot, which just amazes DB and I that they are getting so big.

Week Two of school was my first chance to take Samuel to his school, and upon arrival I was reminded why I liked it so much when we looked back in January. The folks there are incredible! I have to be honest though, I had an incredibly hard time leaving him (just like I did G and O on their first day)... then, something I didn't expect, a few more of the love/hate feelings crept up. I love the school, it really is amazing! The hate part is... well...

Making the hour trip to Samuel's school also reminds me that he's... different. Can I say that? I feel like when I use that word people look at me as though I've just classified Samuel in some terrible category, and that I don't celebrate his differences. And yes, I know, we're all "different"... sheesh. Maybe I'm just hypersensitive... I hope so. I do love everything about him, I know he was created perfectly, and probably celebrate him a little too much (if that's possible), but I can't help it that sometimes I wish that he could do more things with his siblings.  I guess I wish things came easier for him... I could write an entire post about this stuff and my conversations with God during my alone time in the car (He is so good), but not tonight :)

Speaking of doing things with his siblings... WALKING is still going awesome!  We're past toddling from the previous post, he is officially walking. We went to the Shrimp Festival this past weekend and Oh. My. Goodness. Samuel was a walking fool! Not only did he walk everywhere, he was purposely letting go of our hands. We are truly, truly amazed. This weekend we got to hang with Omi, Madison, Jay, Josh, and Kristen, and I think we each said, "did you see that?!" to each other at least 100 times. It is not getting old any time soon!

So I'm still working on photos of the walking, but here are some shrimp festival... and yes, Samuel was walking a ton at the festival, but believe me when I say we can't so anything but stare in absolute amazement when this kid takes off!

We took turns following Samuel around, he was a walking machine! Once he found some sticks that held his attention for a bit, we all took a seat... and since Olivia was never more than a foot from me without yelling "mommy, where are you? I can't see you!", she found the closest possible seat she could :)

My crazy little woman!

Once again, DB works his magic and treats appear!

Actually, this one came after Kristen got an ice cream... and George followed her around talking about how it sure would be nice to have a bite of that ice cream :) Ha ha!
Not subtle at all. DB to the rescue!

Even after busy days like the Shrimp Festival, Samuel has had some trouble with consistent naps... but not when DB is around :)

Just like when George had his sleeping issues, no one works sleeping magic like daddy!

Road Trip!

2011-10-02T20:10:00.001-07:00

I'm playing some serious catch up with the blog right now... even though swim team ended a week ago (my team rocked, again!!), I've been wiped since then. Seriously, I went to bed early most of last week, and took a nap over the weekend. Anyway, I think my energy is back :)

Two weeks ago we had another family first... our first road trip! The five of us packed up and went to Atlanta for the weekend! I think the only people crazier than us were our friends Jay and Julie who offered us all a place to stay :) It was a GREAT weekend!

A crew of girls all got together, I loved that eight of us were able to all be in the same place at the same time. I miss them so much! It was funny to look around... the girls were there (most of the people I spent my Atlanta years with), but there were also some husbands, nine kids, and even a pregnant belly... wow, have things changed. But some things never will, man do I love these girls!

We spent most of our time chatting and and chasing kiddos, so there aren't nearly enough photos. We did get a few...

Yep, Olivia and George joined in the traditional travel meal and had their first McDonalds experience... and loved it! Especially the "pench pies" :)

The toys were fun, but the happy meal boxes provided at least an hour of entertainment for the car ride. Thank goodness, the car ride was the only part of the trip that had some less-than-favorable moments ;)

New toys, a new backyard to explore, and stairs provided more than enough entertainment... I'm pretty sure this one will make it to the Christmas wish list :)

Samuel made friends too :) Who doesn't love Clifford?!

Of course much time was still spent attached to mommy's leg :)

Mommy was okay with extra hugs :)

Daddy got some extra snuggle time, too!

Samuel's eyes were fine, but he did have a bit of a problem recovering from the anesthesia. He had fevers off and on the entire trip, but stole some extra snuggles and was a trooper. Samuel, I was impressed!

The friends arrived and the fun began!
Can't believe we got all but one child in a single photo!

On Sunday we went to an Arts Festival - everyone had fun!

For DB and me, it was more... I think this trip and the arts festival were an extra boost that we really can take our family out and about. It felt so good!

DB worked his magic and a funnel cake magically appeared -

it's amazing how that happens ;)

(Other things I also want to remember, besides Hunter polishing off the sweet goodness; Cecilia dancing center stage when the moment struck her, George and DB made a painting, Olivia was NOT interested in touching anything near paint, Samuel was a huge hit at Cecilia's soccer game with his golden walker.)

The Mitchell and Byrne crew...

... couldn't decide which one I liked more :)

The kids were making these crazy noises along with their smiles and Samuel was completely unsure what to think!

Group hug!

Two weeks post op

2011-09-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

It has been two weeks since Samuel had his eye surgery... vision alignment for both eyes. The craziest part is that we've been so busy, I'm just now posting! The most amazing part is that Samuel did so well that we were able to keep the crazy schedule we had in place, ha ha! YEA!

Post about school to come - I actually started one weeks ago so I'll finish it soon. It's been six weeks since they started, and they LOVE it! This post is reserved for Samuel's eyes :)

Where to start... on September 15th our Samuel had surgery on both eyes to try and align his vision. I've mentioned it before (post from February with eye details), but his eyes are what I call "googlie." For most kiddos, they would have already had this surgery, but Samuel's lungs have not been healthy enough to go through any type of surgery unless it was absolutely necessary, meaning life-saving. While his eyes are SO important (he is making HUGE strides since the surgery!), we just couldn't risk it. But now, NOW, he is getting healthier! Other surgeries are still on hold, but it was a good feeling to get clearance for this one.

Samuel's eyes were so "googlie" that the doc was amazed he was able to straighten them, ever. The degree to which they drifted was so far, that if it were you or me, we wouldn't be able to straighten them. Because his brain has been doing this for almost his entire life, Samuel was able to bring them together... but it's a lot of work. His brain had to work in overdrive just to see straight, and we were told that any day his brain could decide it was just too much and stop aligning the eyes. You can still have the surgery if that happens, but I think the success rate is higher if you can have surgery while your brain is still engaging in aligning the eyes.

The doc loosened the muscles around the outside of the eyes - that's the easiest way to explain it. From there, the inside muscles should tighten on their own and he should have straight vision. We find out in a week if we need to have another procedure to tighten those muscles with surgery.

My red, bleary, puffy eyed boy was incredible! Samuel did awesome. His eyes are pretty much back to normal now... the puffiness is down, the bleariness is definitely gone, and the bloody whites of his eyes are pretty much white again. BUT... he is a new boy! I'm pretty sure his smile is bigger, and I'm pretty sure he is funnier, but I am absolutely sure that he is doing and saying more :)

I've heard incredible stories from other parents about the accomplishments of their children after eye surgery, and now Samuel is a prime example. I can't imagine how wonderful it would be to see straight! For seeing not to be such hard work!

A few photos from surgery day...

Marked up and ready to go...

(On a side note, something I don't want to forget... even though we had to leave home at 4:30am, Samuel was all smiles. That's just the way he is! For the most part, that kid just wakes up happy to celebrate every single day. He, of course, makes me smile... even at the crack of dawn :) )

In recovery, but still under general anesthesia :) No, we didn't pose him like this! Samuel sleeps like this often, but to see him this way in the recovery unit was too funny. The head anesthesiologist even asked if he could bring a few other docs over to see this cute boy... of course!

On the way home... still a little out of it, but lookin' good in his post-op glasses :)

The best part, we were headed HOME the same day as surgery!!
Can't believe I didn't take any of his red eyes - they were really something.

If you're read this far, it was worth it :) Here's more excellent news... Samuel is officially toddling! In the last few days his walking has improved exponentially! It's crazy. Since that post about him taking 26 steps, he had pretty much stopped walking. I think he got tired of falling, and honestly, I can't imagine trying to walk if it was such hard work just to see. But now, he toddling all over the place!

No photos of the toddling, DB and I just stare in disbelief. I'll try to snap out of my shock and take some photos soon. Instead, some summer recap... hard to believe these photos were just two months ago, the babies look so different now!

Fun Summer Pics

2011-09-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Some fun summer photos... time at the pool and end-of-summer haircuts for George and Olivia (Samuel's haircut here). It's been a long week... not much energy left for story telling... I know, shocking ;)

Time at the Pool

As of mid-July, both DB and Samuel were healthy and ready to swim, so we tried to get to the pool as often as we could! This was one of Samuel's first trips :)

Quick break for a drink and some cuteness :)

If only there was audio to share the squeals of delight!

Literally, squeals, the entire time :)

Not sure who's happier, George or Uncle Jay... love it!

Ready for School Haircut

Do hair cuts ever get old?!

Recap from Mo and Do

2011-09-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since Mo and Do visited... but photos last forever :) (How's that excuse for my lame lateness on posting these?!)

We love to read with Mo!

George was fascinated with Mo's scooter, and wanted to know what every little thing was...

...and how every little thing worked!

I have a feeling this is just a small example of things to come, Olivia telling Do all about her day...

... and sharing laughs :)

Wee! Push us higher, Do!

Nothing like a little back scratcher after bath time :)

Not sure who is leading the conversation!

Go Olivia! Look at that concentration...
I can't wait until she can ride her tricycle all by herself!

Dressing up is a daily occurrence in our house :)

We went to visit Mo and Do where they are staying...

George and Olivia absolutely loved this little house!

Samuel loved the view!

And go figure, BB loved the conversation ;) Ha ha!

Little Red Dog Foundation

2011-08-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

What a great organization! The Little Red Dog Foundation does incredible things for incredible people :) On Wednesday, August 17th, they gave Samuel, Olivia, and George wheels... in particular, they gave Samuel a new found freedom of movement.

That day, the LRDF presented five children with AmTrykes, therapeutic tricycles. Of my three, Samuel's tryke has more bells and whistles, including the hand peddles that, among other things, aid in learning to walk, but all three increase strength and coordination.

Such a celebration, with, as the LRDF puts it, "hope and courage to follow" :) (Laura, huge thank you for the photos and kudos on the write up in the paper!!!)

Pre-tryke entertainment included balloon animals from a clown and Popsicles - woo hoo!

Of course, the best pre-tryke entertainment was Omi :)

Samuel getting fitted for his tryke by two of his favorite friends...

... and ready to go! Come on guys!!

No worries, Samuel has a new friend :)

Love it, looks like they've been buddies for years, just riding along and chatting.

Meanwhile, Olivia gets fitted...

(Something to keep in mind, this was during the first week of school and both Olivia and George wanted NO ONE besides mommy... it was nuts. I felt bad for the people trying to help them... I'm amazed there are a few photos in which they are near other people and not crying.)

George takes a turn pushing :)

Wee! Why is BB pushing both? Well...

... everyone tried to be helpful, DB (above), Rachel, Omi, therapists, but as I mentioned above, these two didn't want anyone else pushing them. Gee, I'm glad they appear so grateful.

Our cruising crew!

Riding in style :)

On His Own Two Feet, Part 2

2011-08-23T19:39:00.001-07:00

26... the number of steps Samuel took in a row, on his own, during PT yesterday.
No walker, no nothing, just walking :)

Today, he walked down almost the entire hallway in our house.

Tomorrow?

We are overwhelmed with happiness :)

Our New World... School!

2011-08-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

The horizons have doubled... maybe even tripled... or quadrupled... for our three kiddos. On Monday, the 15th, we started school! What an eye opener, for them and for us :)

First, we added the word school to our vocabulary. George and Olivia already knew the word, but it was generally referred to as where BB and DB work... therefore we've switched our terminology. Now mommy and daddy go to work, and the kids go to school. How terrible would that be to think you're going to visit mommy and daddy and instead get left at a new place where you don't know anyone?! Oh, wait...

Then again, mommy and daddy work at a school, but George, Olivia, and Samuel go to scyool :) Best spelling I can provide... there apparently is no K sound in their scyool. Ha ha!

Monday - G and O were a bit overwhelmed and had some tears when they realized we were leaving, but as soon as we got them to hold hands, there wasn't too much drama. Then again, we did kind of sneak out... is that bad? We told them earlier we were leaving! No, not guilty in the least. When we picked them up, George's face lit up, then his little bottom lip started to quiver... sweet boy :)

Tuesday - Much drama from G and O. G had the hardest time... we was so upset about having to go back that he barely ate breakfast. Once there, the teachers tried to distract him, but every minute or so he would remember I was gone and run back to the exact place I left and weep. But so sweet, G and O comforted each other throughout the day :) That afternoon at home I heard G talking to himself... over and over again, "mommies always come back." Break my heart!! Night was the hardest for O... she is my sleeper, but had a tough time and frequently asked, "mommy, where are you?"

Tuesday was Samuel's first day at his school! It's about an hour away, so we can only do twice a week, but it works out well because the other three days a week he has 6+ therapy visits. DB wasn't in school yet, so he took him, found a good spot near there to get some work done, and then drove him home. DB is definitely concerned about me making this drive so often (it's been nearly 8 months since we visited so our memories have cherry coated the drive time), and we have talked about how we hope it will be worth it. On the drive home, DB called me to say it is SO worth it!

A sweet story from Samuel's first day is that he cried when DB left. I know that sounds nuts, but it hasn't been long since we wondered whether he really knew/cared who we were... and recently, the bond is becoming clearer and clearer. What a wonderful feeling! Also, Samuel played with another little boy :)

Day Three - G wakes up again talking about "I don't have to go to scyool," with a pleading look that cuts right through you. Lucky for him, we took a break from school for G and O for Little Red Dog Foundation presentation. Great organization! Post coming...

Day Four - G and O still not excited. Lot of tears at drop off, but they were fairly quick to settle. G still had the hardest time, but O made sure to bring him lots of toys and hugs to try and cheer him up :) Too cute, when O got upset, G gave her a little twig and she carried it around all day. Love it!

Day Five - G had a complete break down upon seeing the school when we rounded the corner in the car. By the time we parked the car, he was crying so hard that no noise was coming out. Sheesh. But, once again, he calmed quickly once I left and they both had a good day :)

Day Five (Friday), was also Samuel's second day for school. DB made the trip again, and had nothing but positive things to say about the day! The nurses love our Samuel, and he's pretty fond of them, too :)

While we had some rough days, I'm pretty sure the only reason I cried this week is for joy. My babies can go to scyool and hang out with other boys and girls... my Samuel is healthy enough!

On Day Six, George was relieved to hear it was Saturday and there was no school that day :) Stay tuned for the second week, it's all uphill from here for G and O, and Samuel continues to be a rock star!

Happy First Day of School!

Olivia and George, blissfully unaware that we will be leaving them here today :)

After the failure of the original good bye, holding hands seemed to ease some anxiety :)

Olivia: Hey George, do mommy and daddy seem to be getting further behind us?

George: Nah, I can still see them!

Mommy and Daddy: They haven't looked back in at least a minute, go!

Samuel's first day was actually Tuesday... my big guy!

Samuel and DB ready for the drive... road trip!

Museum Mayhem

2011-08-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

BB's parents, known to the kiddos as Mo and Do, came to visit for nearly two weeks... we had the best time! I just loved hearing the kids ask each morning when Mo and Do were going to be here. They absolutely loved spending time with their grandparents!

Lots of reading books, singing songs, playing dress up, and showing off all our tricks, but there were also a few adventures.  One of which being a trip to a Children's Museum...

First, whoever came up with the term Children's Musuem, has been to some VERY different museums than I have. I think the term Children's Free For All would be better :) The kids did have a great time, and there were some really neat play areas, but going into this experience I was dilousional about the constant motion and noise level.  Yes, I seriously pictured little children quietly, and thoughtfully, spending time at interactive stations like it shows on the website. Um, not so much. In reference a previous post, everyone there could have qualified as "those people". Ha!

We did have a blast... there was an incredible art room (will be more fun when we're into doing more than just scribbling on a sheet of paper); a castle with a dungeon and lots of prince, princess, and dragon costumes; a room full of what I refer to as elaborate ski ball ramps with twists and turns and different sized and colors balls; the biggest water table I've ever seen complete with rivers, dams with flow control, and cool rock gardens; a giant pirate ship; a mini grocery store complete with shopping carts, tons of "food", a checkout counter, and a deli counter; and then there was a toddler room. The toddler room was a haven away from the chaos of the big kids... especially for Samuel. We didnt' have his walker yet, and he really wants to be independent, which at this time was crawling. Unfortunatly, it was a tough place for crawlers, but in the toddler area Samuel was free to roam.

Photos below... not many, I think due to the craziness of the day, the high level of play, play, play, and the focus it took not to loose a child :) We really did have a great day!

On His Own Two Feet

2011-08-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

Samuel continues to gain more and more independence! This past Thursday we got a loaner walker... and he loves it.

Samuel's walker has been ordered, but they take a while to go through the approval process (seriously?!). We are really lucky and excited that he can borrow one in the meantime. I'm telling you, this kid is practically running!!! Yesterday we went outside for a bit and he did not hesitate at all taking the walker down or up the step from the house to the patio. Good thing we were there to guide a little bit :) He is absolutely using it like a pro, navigating around corners and obstacles, and trucking through bumpy backyard terrain, as if he's been walking his entire life.

Then this morning, he walked from the church to the car, only pausing to take in all the sites. And, this afternoon, he walked both from the car into the Y and to the pool, and back again afterwards. We both laughed at how precisely he waited to pass the car, then turned off the sidewalk towards the car door and right up to his car seat. Unbelievable.

Have I mentioned lately that Samuel is amazing? Not only medically, but as he faces day to day challenges head on. He literally lives and breathes the line, "If there's a will, there's a way." If he could talk, and he saw my amazement at him walking, I am positive he would look me straight in the eyes and say very matter-of-factly, "no worries, I got it!" Good thing, because I about lose it every time I see him walking... my boy is walking!!!!

Showing off one day last week at physical therapy for Mo and Do :)

Taking our loaner home! Samuel trekked straight across the parking lot to the car, not a complaint to be heard.

Arriving home... hi dad!

Check him out, walking to the front door like a big boy :)

Outside and loving his new friend!

Not once did Samuel sit and scoot or crawl, he went from the door,

to the pool, to the swings, back to the pool, took a tour of the patio,

and then inside.

Go Samuel, Go!

Notice the fogginess? Oh no, not fog, that's steam on the lens of the camera

because it was so hot and muggy out that day. Gross.

But as I mentioned before, not a single complaint from Samuel :)

Making It Known

2011-08-06T19:33:00.001-07:00

On July 31st, we finally got our chance to make public our decision to raise our children as Christians! It was their Dedication, and such a wonderful feeling! I know the day doesn't actually change anything, but it's something we have always wanted to do, but couldn't. Now, everyone is home, the vent and trache are gone, DB's chest is mending nicely, and we are ALL well enough to be around this congregation who has supported us every step of the way... it feels good to stand up and say, this is what we believe, and this is how we will raise our children.

(In our church, you get baptised when you're old enough to make that decision for yourself. A dedication is DB and I saying to the world that we are dedicating ourselves to raise our children as Christians. The congregation also has a line in the ceremony in which they commit to helping us :) )

I am happy to say that, as DB put it, it couldn't have gone any better... or any worse :) Early on the kiddos started causing a ruckus, but overall it didn't matter, the day was perfect because of it's intention. As it turns out, saying "we do" trumps most tantrums :) YEA!

Kind of dark, so not great photos... and I was a complete slacker and took NONE of everyone together. How often do you get three children and three grandparents all in their Sunday best?! Unbelievable.

Hello everyone! Look at those adorable, well-behaved children!

Hmmm... not sure if the blurriness is from the camera or

the actual movement of those same well-behaved children pictured above...

Definitely the movement of the children! Ha ha!

I think George is literally swinging from the rooftops,

Samuel is wondering why in the world he can't get down and scoot, and

Olivia is about to bust out her foot-stomping rendition of "get me up, mommy!"

Back to calm again, but wait, things have changed...

everyone is being held :)

"Those" People

2011-07-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

We are officially "those" people. Last night we all went out to dinner (thanks Mo & Do!)... and when I say we ALL went, I mean Mo, Do, Kristen, and the five of us... yes, we took all three kiddos. Oh yes, we were SO "those" people!

Waiter: Would you prefer this table (in the middle of the restaurant)?
Or, this table (in the corner)?

DB and BB: Seriously?!

Let the fun begin! Unless you were also eating Mexican food that night, and in that case, I apologize :)

Woo Hoo! We're at a restaurant WITH our kiddos! You think anyone minds that we're "those" people, letting our children stand on the seat... ha ha! If we only knew how tame this was!

10 minutes into the trip - the food arrives! Talk about a crazy looking table, hope the waitress didn't mind that we were so busy trying to get everyone settled that we kind of just ordered one of everything :) It was also at this point we realized Samuel was NOT very happy... uh oh...

The rest of the eating experience was about like this for Mr. Samuel...

Samuel, what's wrong? AHHHHHHH

Samuel, let's play with every book and toy we brought... AHHHHHHH

Samuel, what can I do to make you happy? AHHHHHHH

Light bulb comes on - the boy didn't take a nap today and all he wants to do is explore, not be stuck in the corner of a booth. Great!

So unbelievably loud, this has to be funny or I just might cry :)

Please notice in the close up that there are no tears... he's just mad! The great thing about this is Samuel is definitely, finally, expressing himself. Who knew temper tantrums could be cause for a mini celebration?!

Meanwhile, DB has finished feeding George and Olivia and they are quite content... Olivia sucking on the lemon from DB's water and George cleaning his plate. Characters!

Too funny, Olivia was quite happy to be cuddled into the crook of DB's armpit the entire meal and George spent the dinner hour making sure everyone had a chip... if you ate it, he replaced it.

Kristen takes her best shot with Samuel...

... and BB spends a moment taking a deep breath :)

At this point I'm pretty sure the waitress asked if we were okay and my mom (Mo) responded that the gentleman in the corner was clearly not pleased with his meal. Ha ha!

Clean Plate Club!

Olivia, all that's left is the lemon rind, give it to me... the joys of motherhood :)

George and Olivia: Mo and Do, this was GREAT!

Samuel: AHHHHHHH!

Nothin' we can't handle :)

Time Out, Hooray!

2011-07-27T19:54:00.001-07:00

It happened.

We knew there would be a day, and Monday was it.

He finally crossed the line... and Samuel had to sit in time out.

Samuel had to sit in time out!!!! Woo Hoo! My boy was angry and frustrated and instead of giving up on the toy he was playing with, he chucked it across the room with full force! Go Samuel! (The first throw wasn't necessarily cause for time out, but the purposeful next three angry throws were :) )

I was so shocked, happy, amazed, that I didn't even get a photo... or so I thought... check out the background of the one below. Nice work Do! Love you Samuel :) I was so proud of your minute in time out!

Water-filled Weekend

2011-07-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great, love-living-on-the-coast, weekend! The Water Festival kicked off on Friday night and we were downtown bright and early Saturday to cheer on the kids from school in the Raft Races... Randy's Rafters showed tremendous effort, but unfortunately a steering problem had them out of it after the first round :)

After a lap around the other festivities, including convincing Olivia not to run out and chase the balls in the bocce ball tournament, trying to combine the words Shrimp and Boat, zooming past all the artist booths to escape little fingerprints, and of course running and crawling as fast as possible in big open spaces, we packed up and headed to Omi's house just a few short blocks away. It was a great morning!

Sunday was our first trip to the beach since DB's surgery! It was so nice to be back in the sand and waves! Kristen, Josh, and Josh's mom met us there for support, good thing because we needed it... these little buggers are getting faster by the day!

Only thing that could have made this weekend better... the US taking home the title. Boo. Sorry ladies. You still rock!

On a side note, this past week we had a pulmonary appointment that was not water filled :) Lungs sound great! Samuel's CO2 is still a bit high, but other numbers seem to be in check so that's good. The CO2 is still high enough to cause some concern so we're checking O2 sats at night. We'll see. But overall a great appointment! Another med was cut in half and our next appointment isn't for two months... crazy. Quickest appointment ever, and we even had time to visit our NICU friends. I love those visits! Samuel impressed his friends with his walking :)

Absolutely no photos from our weekend, was too busy chasing little people. But, some great ones from a few weeks ago... pre-buzz cut :)

Not sure I can explain my joy at finding Samuel in the sandbox... he has been more and more adventurous and testing his abilities and I just love it! A few months ago, getting over the ledge would have been a huge hurdle, but Samuel's confidence and willingness to give it a shot it are increasing daily.

George loves his trucks!

I'm smiling because I love the water...

but also because I have the entire water table to myself! This never happens!

Quick break from the trucks for a pat-pat :)

Hi mom!

Samuel loves to open and close anything he can get his hands on, with no real interest in what's on the other side. He just loves to open and close and inspect the hinges with extra special care :)

Back to the truck!

Olivia's reply to "do you like your big wheel?"

CHEESE!

Do It Yourself

2011-07-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

We don't really consider ourselves big time do-it-yourselfers (we have some friends who epitomize the word, which makes our projects seem not as major), but we have done some pretty cool stuff! A few examples are that DB fenced in our entire backyard (prob about 1/2 acre) and built a little fish pond in our backyard :) I suppose my contribution to DIY would be the few bows I just made... yes, me! I actually made the one Olivia wore on the 4th of July! If you don't know me and think that's a pretty lame DIY project, well, maybe through my excitement you now know me a little bit better. Ha ha!

Our greatest DIY project, and reason for this post, has to be our most recent... this past Sunday we cut Samuel's hair! All by ourselves! He looks so handsome :) Now before you think we've lost it because we gave him a little buzz cut, you have to realize what we are/were dealing with... first, Samuel will need probably three times as many haircuts as anyone else in our family, so we had to try it ourselves at some point. The boys hair is crazy thick and full - thanks DB! He's come a long way since his ICU days :) Second, while I realize his hair looked great in photos, you should have seen it in real life... it was an absolute, bushy, partied-too-hard-last-night, mess. Let's just say the boy needed a cut :)

Kristen and Josh were there for help and backup... here goes nothin'!

Let the snipping fun begin! Woo Hoo! I like this cape, daddy :)

Mama, watch the ear please, I've only got two of them...

(You should have seen the look on Kristen's face when I chuncked off a huge lock... I think that was when she realized how serious we were :) Then reality set in and I started my nervous laugh... uh oh.)

Clippers are ticklish! Why is everyone so serious? This is great!

(Thank you DB for being so serious... there were no bald spots!)

An all out family affair... until we were finished and I asked Olivia if she wanted to go next. I had to quickly assure her I was joking before the "you're crazy" look begin giving way to "ahhhhhhhh!"

Alright folks, this is getting old...

wait, I have a joke, how many people does it take to cut a 2-year olds hair?

About halfway finished and check out the massive amounts of hair on the floor...

we are convinced Samuel is about 10 degrees cooler with his new 'do.

Mama, is this just another chance for you to squeeze my cheeks?

Yes!

Almost finished...

Woo Hoo! Haircut by dad!

Since we bathed away the itchiness of the new haircut,

I'm pretty sure Samuel has not stopped smiling :)

Time With Friends

2011-07-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like time with friends! We were very lucky to be blessed with visits from two of my best friends in the last two weeks. I mentioned before that my friend Brooke came in town - not sure how I'll ever post all the great photos she took, and then last week my friend Julie came in town and brought her two kiddos, Hunter and Cecilia (2 and 4). We were so spoiled to have such wonderful times together!

Brooke joins in Wabooshkie, and George and Olivia go full throttle!

Brooke brought this fabulous accessory... which also provided a few funny moments of terror. Ha ha! Once it caught on, the purple hair was a total hit!

Once again, more laughter courtesy of Brooke :)

Cecilia and BB reading about princesses :)

Hunter and DB talk about trucks :)

I guess some things are universal!

Even more fun with friends!

Samuel and Hunter compare notes about the always-loads-of-fun pine straw :)

George the Disciplinarian

George had to put one of his friends in time out this week,
apparently the alligator pushed Olivia :)

All I know is that from the kitchen I heard George lecturing someone,
and this is what I came out to find...

You might have to squint, but the troublemaker is located near George's toes :)

When I asked George if he thought the alligator was ready to come out of time out, he was very sure he was not! Then I'm almost positive George mentioned something about the alligator needing to collect himself?! Seriously?!

More Maiden Voyages!

2011-07-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

It's really been a big last couple days! In addition to Samuel's first trip to a store, as noted in DB's post :), we had two more big moments... a car ride and a group activity!

First, yesterday DB had his follow up appointment with his surgeon. The appointment went really well, and despite the fact that his chest tube hole won't stop bleeding (darn blood thinners), the doctor was really pleased with the actual sternum-cracking-scar. He thought DB looked good! And, cleared him to start doing a few more things! DB still has to be really careful for about two more weeks, his sternum isn't quite healed yet, and any damage could lead to life-long issues, but he is excited to have a bit more freedom.

I think he'll try to get into cardiac rehab next week and they can help him along. But, DB did drive the car about a mile down to the drugstore last night - YEA! The last four weeks he has had to rely on a ride to go anywhere... in addition to being really uncomfortable in the car. It's still a bit uncomfortable, and turning the wheel is a bit difficult, so I think his drives may not be more than a mile or so for a little while. But, I think it's going to be great for DB to be able to get out of the house on his own a bit. (Especially since it will be about eight more weeks before he is cleared to resume his pre-surgery life.)

Second, and possibly the coolest thing (yes, even better than Wal-Mart), we went to church as a family this past Sunday! Not only was it great just to go, but this was also the first time our children have done any type of nursery school/play group/etc... EVER. They've never really been to any public places besides doctors offices, grocery shopping, and the park - this was huge! Our friend Gwen said she would help out in the nursery that day, so we were able to leave all three while we went to the service - it was wild. Thank you so much Gwen!

I cried. It was kind of embarrassing. I just couldn't help myself! We walked away from the nursery and the tears just came! Luckily there was an empty hallway I could cry in and collect myself :) Hopefully this will make their first day of 2-year old preschool easier?! Geez!

They had a great time! George was perfectly happy... Samuel had fun, but really wanted to explore past the baby gate blocking the door... and Olivia did well except for one meltdown, during which they almost had to come get me, but in the end she collected herself and enjoyed a little cup of goldfish. Yea!

I got absolutely no photos from either of these events! Sad. The boys looked so cute in their matching green shirts and of course Olivia was adorable in her summer dress... boo. But, we did get some great photos of the new pool daddy picked out at Wal-Mart!

Fun, fun, for everyone!

Although we had to explain to Scout he couldn't get in this pool because it would pop, poor guy. He did make sure to take a drink once the kids were finished... ew, grass and sand!

Olivia was not only all smiles, but also the first to grasp the slide from one pool to another... she loved it! Slide, laugh, run back to the bigger pool, and repeat!

After a brief hesitation, Samuel joined right in the fun too! He was splashing and playing right along with G and O :)

Mamma, do you mind? I'm busy!

Of course Samuel's favorite thing was to go in and out of the shallower pool...

what a mess, but he loved it!

I couldn't catch George in the pool, he was a crazy man and then running all over with his dump truck, but I did sneak this photo of him giving Samuel a smooch... I love it :)

Notice there are no pillows on the couch?

They created a landing pad for bouncing children :)

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

God Bless America! And thank you for our third fourth of July with our babies... second all together. I really do love seconds :) (2009 here - 2010 here)

These were our best shot at a group photo...

above, Omi, Samuel, and Olivia look great! As for George, well...

... hmmm, better because all three kiddos are looking I suppose,

but look at those crazy "smiles"!
The good news is that our Omi, Mo, and Do keep finding the cutest red, white, and blue, so even if we can't all smile at the same time, we're still pretty darn cute :)

Individuals went a little bit better :)

Daddy's Little Girl?

Yep, I think so :)

What a Wonderful Day... from DB!

2011-07-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

BB: “Hey DB, do you want to blog tonight? It’s so much fun! And therapeutic, too!”

DB: “I don’t know BB. I don’t see how I could top the fun I had changing 7.5 diapers today.”

BB: “.5 of a diaper?”

DB: “Don’t ask.”

This is a fairly common conversation in the Byrne household (Babyland). To be honest, BB has a lot more energy than I do. I believe during the 14 months Samuel was in the NNICU some of the steroids, through osmosis, entered her body. By the time all of the fun and excitement at our house ends, at roughly 9 p.m., I like to sit on the couch and watch TV, while BB blogs. Actually, it has always been my intention to blog. I was simply waiting for a truly momentous occasion.

You might be thinking, “It’s been over 2 years. The birth of your children? Bringing O and G home for the first time after nine weeks in the NNICU? Samuel’s miraculous recovery? Samuel’s de-canulation? O and G’s first steps? First words? Samuel’s first steps? Samuel’s first signs? Do you not consider these events worthy of blogging?” Perhaps. But what happened today truly brought tears to my eyes. Not that the other events didn’t, it’s just that I got a little more choked upped today than usual. I know the suspense is probably killing you so I will cut to the chase.

On July 2, 2011, Samuel Wright Byrne made his first trip to Wal-Mart! (In fact, it was his first shopping trip anywhere... ever!) The first of many I assure you. I have never seen the little guy so happy especially when we checked out the cool BB guns in sporting goods.

BB was right – Blogging is fun! But not as much fun as a trip to Wal-Mart with my children!

DB and Samuel all smiles!

(Thank you Sam Walton!)

Not sure what's better, the fact that it's so obviously Wal-Mart because of the massive cases of drinks in the background, that DB was feeling good enough to push a cart around Wal-Mart today (please don't tell his cardiologist), or that we need two carts if we ever want to take a family grocery trip :) Ha ha!

Just Love!

2011-06-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

This week there was only love :) On Monday, Samuel had his first real therapy session at the same PT place I mentioned in the last post... and in addition to the walker, he also got to try a special bicycle! It has straps to hold in his feet, foot and hand pedals, and helps with mapping the motion of walking. George has ridden this bike before too, but when I saw Samuel on that bike today I almost cried. Today, it was only feelings of pure joy! Not only did he love it, he looked like such a bit boy. Woo Hoo!

Again, I wish he had the smile to show his enthusiasm :) Samuel loved this bike!

In fact, when it was time to get off, he wouldn't. Go Samuel!

I also want to pass along thanks to Debbie, who has been George's PT since mid November. She is moving away at the end of the month, so today was George's last session with her. He will still have PT, but will start with a new therapist next week. We are sad to see her go! But, we have big plans to reunite in the future, we're positive that George and her baby girl will hit it off :) Ha ha!

Since I'm on the subject, I also have two other therapy thanks to give... one is really old, and the other is new. The first is to Hannah, who was George and Olivia's Speech Therapist from July '10 - February '11. She was wonderful! I think graduation from speech came closely after the pronunciations of "prone stander" and "pulmozyme" :)

Photo from February :)

The second is very recent, to Monte, who was Samuel's home PT from July '10 - June '11. In this time period Samuel has gone from stuck on his back, to crawling, and now to cruising. YEA!

This photo also from February :)

Finally, a big kudos to my beautiful Olivia, who attends all therapies but doesn't get to play with the stuff :) Poor kid. Although, she does love her alone time with mommy, or daddy, or Rachel, in the waiting room! Such a trooper!

Love/Hate, Part 2

2011-06-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

First, I just need to say that I'm so thankful for Part 2's! We are truckin' right along and the kiddos have gotten stronger every day... who knew things could be so good :)

The first Love/Hate post was regarding Samuel's special stroller... okay, fine, wheelchair. Wow has it been wonderful for us!  Not only was it helpful for short trips, but it was the reason we could venture out of the hospital during all of Samuel's recent stays. It's comfortable, durable, and holds all of his accessories, including pulse ox, feeding pump, and oxygen tank, among others. I'm convinced going outside kept us sane during those stays! Thank you Chair :)

Kind of a humorous side note, but I'm pretty sure Samuel got more "poor kid" looks for the eye patch than for the oxygen or the Chair!

This post is also about equipment that I am so excited about, but also kind of breaks my heart just a little bit.  Last Thursday Samuel tried out his first walker. I've been a range of emotions, from "who knew they made walkers for 2-year olds?" To, "seriously, hasn't he had enough, he really needs a walker?" To, "wow, my boy has come so far I can't believe he's walking!"

Just to throw it out there, there is no need to tell me how far Samuel has come... I know :) His life is a miracle, much less every single thing he is able to do!  I know he is incredible!  Nothing could take away from my feelings of incredible joy at all my baby is accomplishing. But, it's still tough to swallow sometimes that your baby can't just get up and walk like other kids... it's going to take longer, again.

These feelings aren't for my pain - at least I don't think they are - but because I want something to be easy for Samuel. Everything takes work, and strategies, and even equipment. Yes, I'm thankful for all of those things! But there's something about seeing your baby in a walker that makes your eyes well up because it just doesn't seem fair. I know, pity party. The good news is that the pity party doesn't last long at all because the joy of seeing Samuel walking FAR outweighs any of that!

After writing all this, I'm finding myself in the same place I did with the Chair... I hate that Samuel needs it, but I love that it's available to him and all that it will allow him to do!

This original walker I'm mentioning was a quick trial at our initial evaluation for our new physical therapist. Yes, NEW! The reason this is exciting? It's a clinic... like, not in the home... like, the docs feel he is healthy enough to try an out of home therapist! Our other therapies will remain in-home, but for PT this is a new adventure for us. Also, Samuel is doing so well with PT that it's time to get him somewhere that can offer him equipment... not only the walker, but also special bikes, a ball pit, a swing room, and so much more. I can't believe he's ready for this - HOORAY!

He really did like it! Wish he had a smile to show it :)

Samuel was completely intrigued with the walker, the new location,

and all of the other amazingly cool therapy things all over the place.

Weekend at Home

2011-06-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

This past one was our first weekend home with the new aortic valve... we haven't officially named her yet, we're leaning towards Anita (starts with an A and seems like she could kick some tail if necessary) or Clicka (self explanatory once you've heart DB's new mechanical heartbeat, and rhymes with Pippa). All we know is that it's female... in our family that seems to be the healthiest way to go :) Ha ha! Not really funny, but kinda :)

Here's a picture of a general St. Jude's mechanical heart valve... pretty amazing!

Anyway, overall we had a good weekend! First, Uncle Jay, Cousin Madison, and Linda all came to visit Wednesday - Saturday... not only was it great to see them, they were also a huge help at the house. From helping with babies to washing dishes to doing yard work and making the weekly trip to the dump, it was just awesome to have them here. Plus, their smiling faces are always welcome additions to our days :)

Then "aunt" Brooke came in town Friday - Sunday, and again, the helping continued! And of course, so did the fun... I just love that girl. And so do my children and my husband - I'm so lucky! DB even suggested that Brooke, Kristen, and I all go grab a margarita one night, so after the kids went down our sitter, Laura, came to stay with DB just in case the kiddos needed anything while we went... it was really nice to be hangin' with the girls.

This weekend was also a tough one... I won't talk about it too much because it's not my news to share, and to be honest it still hurts a lot, but we attended the memorial service for our boss, the headmaster at our school. Dr. Wall was the healthiest man you ever knew and, at the age of 59, very unexpectedly passed away due to complications from Leukemia. It has shaken us. The services were a wonderful testimony to his life, but it still seems surreal to say goodbye. He is missed, a lot... he was a great leader and friend.

Of course, when Brooke comes in town, there are always lots of great photos to share! The photos in the last post were just the beginning, below is a bit of that Sunday...

Happy Fathers Day, Daddy!

Unfortunately, no wabooshkie this Fathers Day...

but we still had fun :)

Pretty sure George had the upper hand the first go-around...

... but Olivia came back for more!

Neither of them look too terribly upset about the whole thing :)

Samuel, whatcha doin'...

... having a great time!

This kid loves to look at things from EVERY angle,

I just can't believe we finally caught some proof on film!

Notice the guilty look? If you've been to our house lately,
you have definitely heard, "Samuel, not in your mouth!" He knows!

(We do this because it helps Samuel learn to play with toys. His first instinct is just to stick stuff in his mouth, but once you get him to take it out, he actually starts to play with the toy. The more he has practiced, the better he has become at learning what his toys do!)

Dueling smiles...

No offense DB, but I think Olivia won :)

Daddy's little girl :)

George, just like Samuel, loves to throw the ball for the dogs.

Go Scout! I think Belle already got a head start, sneaky little girl.

Things To Remember, Part 2

2011-06-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

It's been about three months since my last "in general" post... plus, at this point there seems to be lots of little updates about lots of things, so this may be the easiest :) Where to begin...

DB is doing really well! It's been nearly two weeks since his surgery, and more than a week since we came home from the hospital. Home is SO good!!! I think the toughest part is that DB feels great mentally (he's almost off all of the hardcore pain meds and just on tylenol), but can't do much physically. He has started going for short walks, is able to get in and out of chairs by himself, and is helping out where he can with the kiddos - they love reading books with daddy! But it will be weeks before he can drive a car by himself, or even the lawnmower, and even longer before he can lift 10 pounds or more... I think he's going a little stir crazy having to sit so much and feeling tired, but he's able to be good because the pain is still pretty intense if he breaks the recovery rules. DB sneezed for the first time today, which was unbelievably painful, but he also got the energy to ride in the car and do a few errands with me, Olivia, and George.

BB's summer schedule still includes working part-time, but summer also means it's preseason! The school swim team I coach started preseason practices the last day of May and will be two days a week until the end of July when the regular season begins. Once again my assistant coaches have already proven to be lifesavers, not only with general practices, but also by taking over on the days I could not attend last week. I love coaching! And I love the crew of swimmers and coaches I get to work with!

Olivia is a trip! We call her our narrator... our play-by-play commentator... of everything. Some favorites are the adjectives she uses for clothing, or should I say "outfits." They are generally "too cute" or "so pretty," whether it's a dress, a boys shirt, or even a sock :) Olivia also loves to wear ponytails and bows! Of course, she also loves to keep track of what everyone is doing, frequently running to tell daddy or mommy about the actions of George, Samuel, and her favorites dolls. Olivia loves to dance, loves to eat, loves to play soccer, and she loves to laugh!

George keeps us laughing! That boy loves trucks, cars, and books... he could live on those three topics all day, every day. George also loves to be tickled, and he laughs with this uncontrollable pure laugh that lights up the room! He is an expert at puzzles, knows every book in our house by name, and has an incredible memory and recollection for details.. He loves to run through the house squealing with delight at the joy of running! George is still in PT for a weak core and his left foot has started to turn in just a bit, although his custom-made orthotics seem to be helping a lot.

Olivia and George can also sing the words to most children's songs, know their ABC's, count to 10, and have at least five jokes up their sleeves. They amaze us daily! They recognize the letters G, O, S, M, and D everywhere, love to color, and like nothing more than to be outside swinging or playing in the water. They're also learning to share and take turns, with only a few trips to time out along the way :)

Samuel is still impressing us more and more everyday, if it's possible! He is not only pulling to stand with ease, but is now cruising... literally, anywhere there is a ledge, a wall, or a leg, that boy is standing and walking! He can practically walk when you're holding just one of his hands. Samuel wears leg braces, hinged AFO's, that help him with leg/hip/knee/ankle strength and positioning. He is also signing more and more, including to make choices! We started using picture cards to represent some of his favorite people, toys, and songs, and he is really getting it. Even though it's not in language that you or I would typically use, he can very clearly tell you which song he wants to sing with a few sounds and hand gestures... and believe me, he will also tell you if you get it wrong :) This is incredible!!! Samuel spent so long not wanting anything or expressing himself... this "normal baby" this is so exciting for us, and for him! Imagine figuring out you can ask for things... and then how to communicate them!

Samuel is still the happiest boy you've ever met :) He loves to bounce on the couch, seesaw to Row Your Boat, swing, play with pine straw, play peek-a-boo, and of course love on Beelow and Lady. Samuel still drinks water from his cup, but has gone a little backward on the eating. He was doing great, and then sometime mid-April (pretty sure it was the 16th) he just stopped being interested... we still work on it every day, and in the last few days he seems to be expressing a bit of interest again. Fingers crossed - this is a huge mountain for him to climb! Samuel still wears his eye patch and hour per day, but his vision is great... which he proves by his sprinting crawls to his favorite toys.

Wow, still feel like there's so much to say! Our family changes daily, thankfully :) At the same time, I wish I could freeze this time in our lives (except for DB - I want a speedy recovery for him!) because it is just so awesome. I love my family!

Hard at Play!

Of course there's Olivia in the front, but I love that Samuel is taking it all in, and of course George's hair is priceless :)

Hard at Work!

I've mentioned it before, we take love our sidewalk chalk!

The dogs are right in the middle of all our outside play... sometimes literally EXACTLY in the middle :)

Welcome Home New Ticker!

2011-06-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

DB's new aortic valve has officially moved into her new home! YEA! We got to come home yesterday afternoon... and it is AMAZING!!!!

Will add to this post later tonight, but wanted to share the good news :)

Going Home... But Not Today

2011-06-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

DB continues to do well after his surgery! Since I last wrote, he has settled into his non-ICU room quite nicely, and so have I. In particular, I like that I can stay and don't have to leave him here alone at night. We haven't had this much time together in ages! Ha ha!

In addition, DB's pain is being managed nicely, all of his accessories are gone, and he is moving around a bit - YEA! The pain is getting much better. It still hurts, and will for a while, but he is on a good regimen that's keeping him comfortable.

While he has to be attached to monitors until being discharged, all of his other lines are gone! Last IV came out yesterday, as well as the chest drainage tube. The IV was straight forward, but the chest tube was fascinating! Well, fascinating for me :) For DB it was a bit painful. Another bonus about these lines being out, is the reduced chance of infection - this is huge!

In addition, DB is moving around much better. It's incredibly hard to get used to not using your arms for anything... for example it's like doing squats every time you stand up or sitting down. Also, just moving is a bit difficult, but DB is working hard and increasing his laps... he claims it's the beginning of his training :) Plus, once all the lines were out, we got to go sit outside and soak up some sunshine for about 30 minutes - loved it.

Only one set-back from our original/ideal plan... we can't go home today. I mentioned DB has started taking coumadin, and the next step is for that coumadin to raise DB's INR to approximately 2.5. That number in someone not taking blood thinners is around 1. INR (International Normalized. Ratio) measures the time it takes for blood to clot and compares it to an average. Coumadin is a blood thinner, so DB needs to find the right dose that will both thin his blood for the new mechanical valve (helping to avoid blood clots) but also keep it thick enough for the blood to clot if necessary (for example a cut or bruise).

At this point, there's a 50% chance we can come home tomorrow. All I'm saying is the glass is half full!

Things on the home front are going well, from what I hear :) I'm so thankful for that! One of the hardest parts about staying at the hospital is missing the kiddos... actually, probably the hardest part. Makes me teary. Boo. But again, they're happy and surrounded by people who care about them! Plus, all the help we have allows me to stay with DB, and from what he says, I've been helpful here :)

New Valve... Check!

2011-06-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

DB did amazing!!! Yesterday's aortic valve replacement is over! Now comes the recovery... not fun, but do-able :)

The surgery went really well! We arrived at the hospital at 5:15am (after 5 hours of pre-op the day before), and by 6:30 they were wheeling him back, already on some versed so his nerves were calmed. The night before and that morning were a different story, so I was glad to see him getting into a better place... too bad they didn't have any extra lying around for me. (Hanging with our friends Sarah and Bo the night before the surgery was a wonderful distraction, and even though we probably weren't very good company, they never let on :) ) Surgery started at 7ish and the surgeon came to give me the good news a little after 10 - I was elated! So much so that I actually hugged him... oops. He handled it very well :)

Part of the good news was the reassurance about the urgency and importance of replacing DB's aortic valve! The surgeon said is looked absolutely terrible. I mentioned this before... even though the numbers all showed he needed to have the replacement NOW, it's hard to go into surgery not feeling "sick." So hearing that the valve was really, really bad was actually a good thing :)

It was nearly noon by the time I got to see DB, after they sewed him back together and got the post-op accessories situated, and the sight of him brought me to tears! An added bonus was that he actually looked really good, not all puffed up like I was expecting. Lots of tubes and wires coming out everywhere, but luckily Samuel prepared me for most of that :) The post-op goal for yesterday was to get extubated (get the breathing tube out), and DB accomplished it around 1pm, which is incredible! The remainder of the day was spent trying to get comfortable, which has still proved to be nearly impossible, and managing meds, vitals, and lots of other heart stuff.

Today has been a lot more painful than yesterday. DB has accomplished more post-op goals as well, so there is a bright side, but the pain has been pretty bad. The surgeon has explained that while being young and healthy will make DB's recovery quicker, it actually makes the surgery much more painful. Being young means your muscles and nerves are still very dense and strong, so when they get pulled apart to access the heart, the damage is much more painful. We started a new med and a new med routine mid-morning which seems to be helping a lot!

Also this morning came a few other post-op goals... he started coumadin, the pacemaker wires came out of his chest, the central line came out, and the massive neck iv's came out. The neck lines were crazy! They were in place to measure the pressures in DB's heart... one was literally 12 inches long (inside his chest), and the other was about six inches and the circumference of a small pencil. Ugh! Almost crazier is that DB had no idea they were even in, and it didn't hurt to take them out! Getting rid of all this stuff decreases risk for infection, which is awesome. He still has one small iv and of course the chest drainage tube.

DB also came out of ICU!!! This is great! I suppose reasons are obvious :)

From DB: "Ouch."

I can tell he is starting to feel better as his sense of humor has begun to return :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Infection control and pain management are two goals right now, leading up to the goal of going home (we're shooting for Monday). Go DB!

DB's Heart

2011-06-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

June 9th is just around the corner... part of me feels like it took an excruciatingly long time to get here, and part of me feels like it's here way too soon. But, the months and months of waiting are over, and it's time for DB's aortic valve replacement surgery. Yep, open heart surgery. Not on one of the babies, but on my husband.

For lack of a better term, shoot me. Well, actually shoot DB, he's the one who has to go through the surgery. He was also the one at the doctor eight months ago when they said, "It's time." Immediate response from both of us, besides shock, was "no, thank you." Unfortunately, that didn't fly. But, because he was asymptomatic (for example, he wasn't passing out on a regular basis), he could wait. The cardiologist reassessed in the spring, and again decided that because he still wasn't having symptoms, he could wait until school was out. Of course, this waiting stuff all hinged on staying symptom free. If DB fainted, then the surgery would be right away. Gee, thanks. Not only am I terrified every time he doesn't answer his phone that he's fainted, but you just told DB he's going to have serious heart surgery in eight months... that is entirely too long to think about it.

So, June 9th is almost here. And no, there's no chance the doctor is going to say we can wait longer. DB's numbers back in October were horrendous... for example an aortic artery that is 90% blocked, and an aortic value with a circumference of .88 rather than 3. The only reason we could wait is because he was asymptomatic. Honestly, with the state Samuel was in last fall, thank goodness for miracles (that may not seem like miracles) like this extra time. The kiddos are in a good place, and we can really focus on getting DB healthy!

If you couldn't tell, I'm not looking forward to June 9th. I know DB will be okay, I just hate that he has to go through this. He holds me up, he is my humor, and he is where I can go to be frustrated, sad, happy, and joyous... I don't want him to have to be in pain. I just wish he could be okay without needing this surgery. Of course, again with the thanks, thank goodness this surgery is available and we love our hospital :)

On a lighter note, DB is convinced that within a year he will be able to beat me in a run around our neighborhood, and has big plans for his new aorta! As a comparison, DB hasn't been able to run more than a block in a really long time (if ever) without getting completely winded. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't taken into account that no matter how out of shape I may be, I'm one competitive girl :)

We are at the hospital most of Wednesday for pre-op and have to stay near the hospital on Wednesday night. Surgery is scheduled for 7am on Thursday. We will definitely try to keep you updated through the blog :)

The Real Thing

2011-06-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

I mentioned our water table in an old post, and how the photos weren't exactly accurate about how much fun there really is to be had when playing with one. The photos below do a much better job :)

Soaked to the bone, and loving it!

In case George's hair has gone unoticed, Olivia wasn't the only one dousing themselves in water :)

Fun, fun, for everyone...

... even though he had managed to run away from the table by the time I got the camera out, Samuel enjoyed a nice cup of water down the shirt too!

The Girls and The Boys

2011-06-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

I have to back up a little bit... okay, a LOT. With all of the birthday fun, then exciting medical stuff, then March of Dimes, then more medical, then Easter, then more medical... whew. I have to back up to a very special weekend. The weekend of February 12th and 13th! Most importantly, it was a celebration of my grandfathers life. Second, it was the first time any of my children have met a great-grandparent. Third, it was also the first weekend DB and I have split up, besides hospital trips, and had time with just one or two of them... Olivia and BB flew out to AZ and George, Samuel, and DB had a boys weekend at home. Fourth, I got to see my high school BFF and her wonderfully beautiful pregnant belly :)

Grandad Biaett, I love you! Grandad was such a great man, and it was wonderful to be able to spend time with family celebrating his life. There were tears at the service, but there were also smiles as the story-telling began. One of the consistent themes from his children and grandchildren was his unwavering support of each of us as individuals, and believe me, we are all very much individuals :) He loved each of us so much. Grandad was also hysterical and had many quotable moments, which was also solidified as people told great stories about his life. He loved being around family and friends, any chance to celebrate, and kids. My biggest heavy-heart moment came when Olivia walked right up to the biggest picture of Grandad and I swear she looked at it as though she knew him... even though this was the first time she ever got to meet him. It was a moment that will be forever etched in my memory. Even though I know it wasn't possible, and that one day they will meet him face-to-face, I am sad that my kids didn't get to meet their great-Grandad here on Earth.

Olivia and I left the house at 4:30am... she was such an amazing travel buddy!

She made sure Cookie Monster got a prime view of the tarmac :)

Dinosaur too! And yes, these were her two main travel buddies :)

Peanuts for everyone!

After a flight to ATL and then to PHX, Olivia took a quick snooze at Mo and Do's before I had to wake her up to head to the memorial service. I'm telling you, she was incredible! From there we headed to a reception. Did I mention there was a 2-hour time difference not in our favor?! This little girl did so well. Of course, the moment she chose to warmup and speak a little bit was when we went up to say a few words about Grandad :)

Due to medical circumstances and restrictions over the last year, we have not traveled home to see my family before this weekend. In one incredible swoop, Olivia met ALL of my cousins, aunts, and uncles (both my fathers family and my mothers family came which was just awesome), and lots of other family. It was so wonderful to see everyone!

Some of my dad's side above... it was amazing how many people were able to make the service!
My mom's side in multiple pictures below...

Above: Mo, Do, brother Aaron (in from Colorado); Cousins Galadriel (in from California), Lorienne (in from North Carolina), Tyler (in from Boston), and Robert (in from Texas); Aunt Marta and Michael (in from Washington); Aunt Silvia; Cousin Bob.

Cousin Katrina (in from Washington)

Cousin Micah (in from Peyson), cousin Josh (1st baby due soon!), and brother Aaron

Cousin Jared (recently back from China), brother Aaron, and cousin Micah

Aunt Mary Jane and Uncle Bruce (and brother Aaron :) )

The next day was followed with an incredible visit to my Granny and Grampa! Grampa, at 97, continues to amaze us all!

Looking at photos of all three kiddos :)

A few more things I will never forget, one of which was the comfort that Olivia displayed when meeting her great-Granny and great-Grampa. She is generally a nervous little girl when it comes to new people, but she must have felt the love in the room because she was reading and high-fiving and even sang to Granny.

I will also never forget the look on Grandpa's face... he couldn't take his eyes off of Olivia :) It was absolutely heart warming. And even though Granny is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's, and was unable to open her eyes, she smiled a mile-wide when Olivia sang Jesus Loves Me and ABC's and hugged her. I have to admit, I left with a full heart but also a bit heavy that I'm not able to see them more often.

In whirlwind fashion, we left Granny and Grandpa to head to brunch with extended family and then it was back to the airport. Whew!

Thank you PHX airport for this kid area!

After this photo Olivia passed out... for the entire 4-hour flight. Good thing too, there were NO open seats on this flight so she was on my lap the entire time... which isn't too bad with a sleeping, snugly little girl :)

We arrived in ATL that night and headed to hang with some of my girls for the evening - loved it! Especially the part about seeing my Kirby preggers! Our current living arrangements - on opposite sides of the country - don't allow for too many visits so I was extremely happy to see and hug her and Baby Girl! (Since this post is ridiculously overdue, Kirby has since given birth to beautiful Walker Emeline on April 24th!)

After brunch it was back on the plane to head home... whew. If you're wondering why there are no photos of DB or the boys from home, apparently what happens when mom is out of town is only for the boys to know :)

One piece of ridiculously disgusting info from the weekend that I just have to share... while my family was at the memorial service, my parents house was targeted by burglars. Hard to believe people can be so terrible. They didn't trash the house or take any of the electronics or appliances, but they did take something maybe even worse... all of my parents jewelry, including all of the family jewelry - wedding rings included. It still makes me sick to my stomach. The necklace I'm wearing in the photos from the service may be the only thing they have left. The other hard part is that after returning from an evening of reminiscing and smiling about my Grandad, this was what we came home to. My dad said goodbye to his dad only to be greeted by home invasion. Nausiating.

A Jar Of Goodness

2011-06-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

A quick flash back... I walked into work in early April to find this on my desk...

Not sure if you can read the note, it says: "Mrs. Byrne, I've been saving this for a long time. It's like $30. Love, Thomas"

Get ready for this... it was a donation for the March of Dimes from one of our 7th grade students! And not just any donation, but his "piggy bank"! Even thinking about it now makes my heart swell. Every donation was special, and every single one stopped me in my tracks at how incredibly generous people can be, but this one hit me in a different way. This 7th grader gave his savings... to help babies! His mom didn't make him (in fact, she got teary too) and he didn't get any over the top recognition (he didn't ask for any at all), he just did it because it felt like a good thing to do. What a gift!

No More Shift Changes

2011-05-31T19:02:00.000-07:00

To cut to the chase, Samuel has now lived at home longer than at the hospital! Excuse me, I need to get a tissue...

Woo Hoo! I didn't actually count days (I know, I'm a little shocked too), but Samuel's final come-home-date was March 28th, when he was 14-months old. This past Saturday the babies turned 28-months old! It sounds weird to say their age in months, but when you're talking about this kind of accomplishment, details like that are necessary!

Hard to believe we weren't sure if he would even be home a day, or a week, or a month... then you realize it's been 6-months, then a year, and your heart soars! It also reminds me of just how special our hospital friends are, how loving they were towards my baby for all those months, how they cared for him and smiled at him every day for all. those. months. How they put up with ME for all those months :) Ha ha! Huge kudos!!!

I feel like this also makes it even more official that he really is ours :) I know that sounds crazy, luckily I'm okay with that. For so long we were unable to care for our child. While we love our hospital family, we desperately wanted to bring him home... to be the first face he saw in the morning and the last face he saw at night. Believe it or not, we even wanted to be the ones changing his trache ties and responding to all the ventilator beeps in the middle of the night. We finally got our wish!

Sweet boy!

Just another great day at the Byrne House!

Getting out an all-time favorite, the side walk chalk! (Thank you Celia!)

Another favorite, playing with the dogs! This time Samuel's nurse is teaching him to throw the ball for Scout... both Scout and Samuel love it :)

George and Olivia head straight for the water table, chatting away like the best of friends. You will note they are dry... this was taken in the first minute of being outside :) Eventually the shoes and socks have to come off because they're squishing and the wet clothes weigh about 30 lbs. Love it!

Off to water plants!

George, are you excited that Olivia just walked away to water plants and left you the entire water table to yourself?! You be the judge :)

Happy Heart News

2011-05-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

(Post from June 25th... but today was good also, I can now post photos again! Yea)

Today was a good day! A busy day too, it went by much too quickly for my liking, but I'll take it because it was GOOD :)

First news, Samuel had a cardiology appointment - his first one since January, which is news in itself. Not seeing the cardiologist for nearly five months was unheard of six months ago! Also news is that Samuel's heart still looks GREAT! He still has one hole (the ASD), but the pulmonary hypertension is still mild to absent. The post from his last appointment talks about this in a little more detail. We are still ecstatic! A kid who needed nitric oxide normally would not be experiencing this kind of wonderful news less than two years later. YEA SAMUEL!

Also wonderful was that he has been on a trial run of no heart meds since Sunday, and so far, so good. Our med list is rapidly decreasing, and it feels so good to know that Samuel's body is starting to function more and more normally on it's own. It also feels great not to be putting so much stuff into our boy :)

Second news, Samuel has officially shown an interest in philanthropy! Our home medical supplies friend came today, and we cleared out everything in his room except oxygen, apnea monitor, pulse ox, feeding pump, and necessary accessories for those items. Some of it Wendi could take back to the home medical company, for example the trache collar machine, but most of it was ours to keep. Realizing he has no need for these things, Samuel will be donating his things to a medical missions team. Feels good to be giving out medical supplies instead of needing them!

Samuel and most of the gear we were able to get rid of/donate this past week. YEA!!! And yes, I did say "most" of it, there was more in the garage. Crazy! Samuel wasn't too interested in posing... can't blame him, I did surprise him mid-lunch to take a photo :)

Third news, all five of us have happy hearts after celebrating Madison's birthday this past weekend! Birthday preparations and new sunglasses also made us happy... but the best part was singing Happy Birthday :)

Getting ready for the party - balloons in the pool are fun for everyone!

I think Samuel loves his daddy... and daddy loves his Samuel :)

Woo Hoo! Bring on the birthday cake!

George and Olivia still don't quite understand... they've been asking for birthday cake since then and my explanation of "but it's not anyones birthday" doesn't seem to cut it :)

A little help from daddy...

Giving it my best shot...

Sitting back and soaking it all in :)

Chillin' with cousin Madison after a great day :)

The day after the birthday, it was off to the beach! This is definitely our newest favorite place. We've been trying to get there once per weekend, and so far we've had good luck, so everyone knows exactly what it means when we say "let's go to the beach!" All three kiddos love it!

Samuel could play with the reeds all day!

Cousin Madison gives an excellent tutorial on building sand castles!

George loves digging and building!

George is also beginning to appreciate the surf board. I don't have photos, but Uncle Jay and BB took George on a handful of short (shallow) rides and he loved it!

Off on another adventure :) Samuel sees something he's interested in, and off he goes! Whether that's the waves, a bird, a dog, or even painted toe nails. Samuel makes friends everywhere he goes :)

Daddy and Olivia enjoying the water.

Olivia takes off to find dry land :) She hasn't quite made up her mind, sometimes the waves are great, but not all the time!

Help from other bloggers!

2011-05-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Not sure what to do, but would love any advice from other bloggers! I can't upload photos - I get some strange server error message.

This really stinks... lots of good news to share, but was hoping to have photos too. Will keep trying, if no luck soon, then will post without. Ugh.

Help, please!