Happy Birthday McKenna

On Monday, November 30, 2009 at 8:54 a.m, McKenna Molene VanVleet was born. She weighed in at 7 lbs, 8oz, and was 19 inches long. She has brought nothing but joy to our family! She is sweet, happy, and full of energy! I love my girls, and my girls love each other. They truly are best friends!!!

I had a good cry as I sat looking through her baby pictures for this post. I guess the realization that our little baby is growing up.....and is now 2.....is hitting me!

Look at our little baby then!

Look at her now!!!! What a beauty!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet McKenna!!!!! I love you with all my heart!!!

*If you like these pictures, stay tuned for the rest of our family pictures done by Edwards Photography!!!

Fun Questionaire- Macy Edition

Here is my fun questionaire completed by my adorable 5 year old :)

1) Which adult person around you do you want to convert into a baby? My Dad, because I could feed him a bottle, hehehe.

2) What would you like to be- a werewolf or a vampire and why? Vampire, I like to suck people’s blood (in a creepy voice). *She kinda scared me!*

3) Choose your birthday gift- a tail or a pair of horns? Horns, because I would look like a moose.

4) Where would you prefer to hang out- on the clothesline or the tree? Up in tree. I like the sun.

5) Which fruit do you resemble the most? A carrot. *Okay, well not really a fruit, but at least they are both skinny, lol*

6) What do want to be in life- a giver or a taker? A taker. *That she is, lol*

7) Which toy of yours do you want to come alive? A baby.

8) If you were to be born again, then what animal do you want to be? A cat, because I could poop in a litter box. *Guess which man in my house told her to say that???*

9) Which movie imitates your life the best? Barbies, because I’m a princess.

10) Who is more frightening- your father, your mother, or your sister? My dad, he scares me when he puts on the Michael Myers mask.

Fun (And Crazy) Questionaire

I thought I would bring back some fun "get to know you" questionaires. Look forward to more in the weeks to come :)

1) Which adult person around you do you want to convert into a baby? Grandpa Wayne...he is the most hilarious adult I have ever seen, I can only imagine him as a baby :)

2) What would you like to be- a werewolf or a vampire and why? Werewolf....I don't like being cold so the vampire thing just wouldn't work.

3) Choose your birthday gift- a tail or a pair of horns? A tail, at least I can hide it if I need to.

4) Where would you prefer to hang out- on the clothesline or the tree? Totally a tree....chances of the branches snapping seem less likely than clothesline.

5) Which fruit do you resemble the most? Well, right now I am the shape of a pear altough I'd really like to be a shape of a strawberry, lol.

6) What do want to be in life- a giver or a taker? Totally a giver :)

7) Which toy of yours do you want to come alive? I would've loved my Cabbage Patches to come alive when I was 5, but I probably wouldn't be a parent right now if that happened.

8) If you were to be born again, then what animal do you want to be? Although a turkey buzzard lives for about 118 years and an elephant lives for about 69 years....I think I would love to be a horse. They live for about 50 years.

9) Which movie imitates your life the best? Date Night.....hilarious!!! Seems like something that would happen to Jeremy and I on a date night, lol!

10) Who is more frightening- your husband or your boss? I guess it would have to be my husband since I don't really have a boss.

OMG! How long has it been?

I know, I know, I am so bad at updating anymore. In my defense, when I was updating all the time I wasn't going back to school to get my Master's, working, and busy with 2 children. Well, I had a couple of those factors going on before, but not all at the same time!

Here are a few updates:

Macy is scheduled for surgery #20 on December 19th. We headed to our favorite ENT last week due to some chronic sinus issues and congestion. He sent a scope of her nose, and discovered that she has a 90% blockage due to her adenoids. Therefore, they are coming out! He will also be doing a bronch while she is out to take a look at her repaired airway to see how it is growing with her body.

Macy also has started on Zinc supplements. During out October appt. with our genetic/metabolism doctor, he ran some blood tests. All of her labs were abnormal...but normal for her. Zinc was something that had never been checked before, and results shows a deficiency. One of the benefits can be weight gain!!! The downfall is that it has to be refrigerated at all times :(

Jeremy has a new position through his company, and will be moving into this new position next week. He will also be moving office locations from downtown to a town near our home. We are so proud of him!!! He is very excited for this change!

McKenna is now going to school 3 days a week, and loves it! When I picked her up today she was dancing her little heart out and singing along to the music. She has certain friends she loves to talk about at home, and can't wait to go see them each day at school :)

I am in my 4th class of my master's program with 6 left to go. It's very time consuming, and sometimes I never know if I am coming or going! Also, as you can see from McKenna's update, I am now working 3 days a week. I still LOVE my job!!!

Macy now has her ears pierced! We took her last night to Claire's at the mall. She climbed up in that chair, sat like a big girl, and only slightly flinched. She didn't even shed a tear! The trick was, I never told her it was a needle :)

McKenna has not moved from her toddler bed to her full sized bed! She loves it, and curls up right in the middle :)
Here are some pics of our most recent fun times!!!!

Cars, Trucks, Vans.....FUN!

As most of you know, Macy started Kindergarten this year. If just so happens that they very year we started in our township school, the school district decided to start charging students to ride the bus.


Luckily, I am able to move my schedule around in order to be able to drop-off and pick-up Macy each day. The school district is charges $55 per month/per child. Think how costly this gets for families who have multiple children in school. Therefore, families are going to any length to rearrange schedules, carpool, to invest in the help of family members in order to get their children to and from school each day.


The lines are long, as well as the wait. The first few weeks, I was sitting in lines for 1 hour at drop-off and over 1 hour at pick-up. The wait is getting shorter thanks to the great organization of our elementary school, parents who just refuse to wait, and more kids riding the bus. I am still waiting in lines about 30-40 minutes in the morning, and about 20 minutes in the afternoon.


As I sit there waiting, I see parents doing quite interesting things! Here are some of the things that I have seen in the parking lot over the last 6 weeks.



1. Sleeping- Yes, multiple parents sleep daily. I have often thought about it, but I could just envision myself with my mouth wide open, catching flies, and everyone watching.


2. Reading- This is what I have been doing everyday! I am currently working on a Nicholas Sparks book, and am almost finished. I can't wait to start another new book!


3. Texting- Nowadays you see texting almost everywhere you go. I am just glad I am seeing texting when the cars ARE NOT moving!!!



4. Running- I have seen quite a few parents who wear their running clothes, park their car, and take off for a run! What a great idea! If you are going to waste that much time each day, you might as well workout! Three days a week I have Big Mac with me...I guess I could strap her on my back and head out....okay, maybe not!



5. Dancing- Don't worry, it's not the parents dancing...although the dad who sat next to me last week was jamming to some loud music, and was making it a point to make sure I saw....so weird. There are two girls who get out and dance next to their van daily. They seem to be doing some sort of dance like the cupid shuffle or something. It's pretty entertaining!


6. Extreme Couponing- Yes she was! One mother was standing behind her car with her giant couponing binder. She was cutting and sorting. She spent an entire 40 minutes working on it, and I still don't think she finished!


7. Chatting on the Phone-It's funny to me how people aren't even aware that if they sit with their windows down and I sit with my windows down, I can hear every word they say on the phone, curse words and all!



8. Yelling at Their Kids- I am not kidding! There is a mother that I seem to get by quite frequently. She screams at her kids nonstop. Last week I heard her son make reference to his father, who must not be present in his life often, because Mom made it clear to bash Dad in front of this child, as well as his siblings. It was enough for me to give her death stare!




9. Eating- Parent bring snacks and magazines. Just like my brother used to do in college. I had class with him once in college. He brought donuts and magazines during class each day, while I sat taking notes and paying attention. He got A's, I got C's....go figure!

10. Walking their Dogs- I have seen it on numerous occasions. People unload their dogs, sometimes more than one, and take them for walks in the field next to the parking lot. I think Tucker would enjoy that, if I could only get to ride in the car without shaking, panting, and drooling!

Enjoy your weekend! Last weekend, when we had plans to head to St. Louis, we were stuck home with 2 very sick little girls. Macy was diagnosed with Strep on Monday, and was not improving as the week continued. She was sent home from school on Friday with some respiratory issues, still had a fever, and our doc finally changed her to a second antibiotic on Friday. We finally saw some improvement by Sunday, and as of Wednesday she was pretty much back to normal. McKenna had been struggling from a long-lasting sinus infection that was causing her to vomit. She then spiked a fever on Thursday night. She is too on antibiotics. She too started feeling better on Wednesday. Therefore, we are just praying for healthy girls this weekend so we can get out and enjoy the great Fall weather!!!

Things I Appreciate So Much More......

...Now That I'm A Parent!

1. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes- if I could drink the stuff knowing it would protect me from germs I would! And yes, I am the crazy parent that wipes down everything, in public, before my child touches it....and wipes their hands afterward!

2. A dinner out with ONLY grown-ups or just my husband- no screaming children, no picky eaters, no drink spills or food messes, and no wiping hands and faces. You actually get to eat your meal!

3. Slow drivers in the neighborhood- Jeremy and I are now those people that wave at people to slow down who go barreling through our neighborhood. I am officially apologizing to all my neighbors, during my high school years, for my speedy driving. And YES, I am the reason my neighborhood, growing up, put in speed bumps.

4. Going to the grocery store alone- When Jeremy and I first got married, I always hated going to the grocery store alone. I loved it when he was there, mainly to help me carry all the heavy things! Now I love being able to make it through the grocery store with no meltdowns, pleads for special treats, or emergency restroom breaks. Truthfully, my girls are pretty good in the store, but it's just so much easier to go alone sometimes!

5. Sleeping in on the weekends- My sleeping in, before kids, used to be 10:00 a.m. My sleeping in now means 7:00 a.m. Macy and McKenna usually crawl out of bed at 6:30 a.m. Macy either wakes Big Mac up when she flings open her bedroom door, or McKenna wakes Macy up because she stands at the baby gates screaming, "MomEE", "DadEE". Either way, they wake up at the same time...EARLY!

6. Christmas- it's not the gifts, it's not the food, it's the magical feeling. I feel like I am seeing Christmas again like a child. I love watching my girls learn about giving and receiving, learn about Jesus, and show the excitement, they can barely contain, at bedtime and when they wake up.

7. Reading a good book- I stopped reading for many years. My excuse was that I just didn't have time. Well, I have found time! When I drop Macy off for school in the morning, we have a 30-40 minutes wait. When I pick her up in the afternoon, I have a 20 minute wait. I have been reading. My most recent read, "For One More Day" by Mitch Albom. It was a fantastic book. I am working on a book from my favorite author, Nicholas Sparks, right now! I love a good book, and time to read it :)

8. A picnic 0r nature walk- We absolutely love packing up and heading to the park for a family picnic or a fun nature walk. My girls love carrying baskets and collecting things they find on the way. It's a great way for them to learn (vocabulary, colors, shapes, sorting), and it's such a fun family time!

9. Singing in the car- When I was pregnant with Macy and McKenna, I used to sing to my belly in hopes they would hear me. Well, they must have fell in love with music then, because these two little girls were born to sing and dance. We love turning up the music in the car and singing! We sing, we laugh, we dance...no limits! Yes, I know every word to every Justin Bieber song!!!

10. The meaning of family- People may think our family is unique due to the fact that we do everything together. We eat dinner together every night. We go for walks together any night the weather allows us to. We go to the store together. We go to ballet class together. We do EVERYTHING together. And I wouldn't have it any other way! Not only do we enjoy doing things as a family of four, but we love our family time with parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. We understand time, distance, and schedules can often keep families apart....but we love our family time whenever we can get it!

What things do your appreciate more as you move through the phases in your life?

A Little Q & A

Once again it's been forever since I have updated! What can I say anymore....I'm simply a busy person :)

I thought I would answer some questions that I get asked frequently....

1. How is Kindergarten going for Macy?
Macy loves Kindergarten!!! She is excited to go everyday, and comes home with a smile. She hasn't had to move her penguin tag (for behavior) yet, and she is very proud of that! She is reading some decodable books on her own, and is learning things so quickly :)

2. Is McKenna talking a lot now?
McKenna is talking up a storm. She is able to imitate ANY word we say, and is making request and communicating mostly with 2-3 word phrases. She has such a cute personality!

3. Are you still working/going to school...what are you doing now?
I work 2 days a week as a developmental therapist for our state's early intervention program. Basically I work with children who have delays (mainly cognitive and speech). I love my job! AND I am also working on getting my master's degree in early childhood studies. It all keeps me very busy!

4. What does your husband do?
My handsome husband is a civil engineer for our state. He is currently working on preserving our state's road network. Lots of meetings, lots of computer work, lots of phone calls, lots of math, and lots of getting out on the roads around the state.

5. Are you having any more children?
Hmmmmmm.......right now, NO. Later...not sure. If it was up to Macy, we would have added another one to our family already, lol.

6. How is Macy doing healthwise?
Macy is doing great! We see metabolism/genetics in October. We will have some lab work done then to see how all her numbers are looking, mainly liver enzymes and ammonia levels. I am, like always, worried about her weight. Her doctors aren't. She is growing in height and weight, and she has her own line going on her growth chart. It's just hard when I see her compared to others her age. We will see Cardio in April 2012. We know she will have another heart surgery, we just hope it's not for a while. Macy's asthma is under control most of the time. She continues to go through spells when she is breathing heavier and a little raspy, but I think it has a lot to do with the weather and allergies.

If you think of any more questions I can answer about my family, just post them in the comments :)

Have a great week! I hope you are leaving today feeling a little more caught up on what's happening in our lives! Thanks for continuing to check in on us!!!

Heart Hugs

For those of you new to my blog...WELCOME!!! For those of you have have been following Macy's journey..Thanks you for your continued support!

I can across a great blog event today, and I decided to join in. This event was created for heart families to come together to support eachother, spread awareness of congenital heart defects, and learn from eachother. You can visit the blog link here!

I decided the best way for me to share Macy's story would be to show you the video I created back in 2007.

I quick synopsis: My pregnancy was very normal. I had two ultrasounds at 19 weeks and 28 weeks, everything appeared normal. At 31 weeks, things really took a drastic turn. I started swelling, and ended up on bed rest at the hospital. Macy was born at 34 weeks. She weighed only 3 lbs, 11 oz. and was 15 1/4 inches long. The very next day, my hospital room was flooded with nurses, doctors, and pamphlets. They were all explaining that our beautiful baby girl had a heard defect.

Macy was born on January 28, 2006, and was diagnosed on January 29th with Tetrology of Fallot. In August 2006, Macy recieved a BT shunt as a temporary repair, and had her full repair in September 2007. Macy's battles didn't stop with a heart defect diagnosis though. Macy has been diagnosed with subglottic stenosis and tracheal malasia (both airway defects), Abernethy Malformation (an extremely rare liver malformation), ketotic hypoglycemia (blood sugar issues), asthma, and an unknown muscle disease. Macy has been under general anesthesia 19 times, and will face more surgeries in the future.

My little miracle is now 5 1/2 years old, and just started Kindergarten last week. She is an amazing little girl, with an amazing story! We are so proud at how much Macy has accomplished, and look forward to all the amazing things she will do in the future!!!!

Here is her video: Click HERE!

What's New.....A Whole Lot!!!

The girls are growing and changing right before my eyes! This week has been quite the week!


Macy

• started Kindergarten on Wednesday!!

• lost her 2nd tooth while we were at the lake this weekend




• is trying to learn how to ride her bike with no training wheels



• she took her first shower by herself last week...I, of course, coached her from the other side of the curtain

McKenna

• is getting even more and more independent, and is starting to love pretend play.

• is exploring things in her room...when she should be sleeping. We put her down in her bed tonight, but this is how we found her an hour later.
  
  





• is using lots of 2-3 word phrases when she talks now. She says things like, "Where is my daddy?", "Macy is bad", "Come here Tucker". Also, when you ask her, "What's your name?" She says, "Na" (Mc-Ken-NA)

What is all of this doing to this mommy? Making her an emotional mess! I sobbed on Macy first day of school as I watched her walk into the school building. Thankfully, Jeremy was with me to wipe away my tears.

How is Macy adapting to full day Kindergarten? She is doing amazing, although I think I have a little tattletale on my hands. I know everything that happens during each school day.

• On the first day they didn't get to go out for recess because some kids weren't following directions, "but I was Mommy, and I still didn't get to go."


• On her second day, a boy puked at recess.


• A girl had to move her penguin for not following directions. She was crying on the bathroom so Macy rubbed her back and told her it would be okay.


• A girl told Macy that her medical bracelet was ugly, so Macy responded with, "That's not nice!"


• They read a book about counting and played a dice game.


• They had to introduce themselves, "My name is Macy." And she made Jeremy and me practice too.


• A little boy tried to run out of the classroom over and over, so the principal had to come down and keep bringing him back. Macy said she thinks it is because he missed his Mommy.


• Then tonight she told me that she really hoped I didn't cry when she went back to Kindergarten tomorrow because it's really fun there.

They grow up WAY TOO FAST!!!

p90x

I am sure most of you have heard of the p90x craze. It's been around for a few years, and Jeremy and I are very late to jump on the bandwagon. Taking care of your body is SO important! Having young children at home, make working out so much more difficult. We are on Week 3 of the plan, and still going strong....even considering my bum ankle (that's a whole other story).






The hardest part for me is finding the time to workout. I am a mother, a wife, I work, and I am going back to school to get my Masters. This stuff keeps me very busy, but now I have to find 1-1 1/2 hours each day to work out. Jeremy and I been working out each night after McKenna goes to sleep. Macy watches, laughs, and uses this time as her downtime before she heads to bed. I love doing this because it is something we do together, and I have a workout partner!

Jeremy and I use the resistance bands, pull-up bar, and weights for these workouts. We workout for 6 days and take 1 day off. We have worked our schedule to have Firday nights be our off day. We always seem busy on Friday nights, and if we eat dinner out for the week, it's usually on a Friday night.

Here is a sample of a typical week:

Day 1 – Chest and Back (60 min), plus Ab Ripper X (16 min)
Day 2 – Plyometrics (60 min) *hardest workout in the program, in my opinion*
Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms (60 min), Ab Ripper X (16 min)
Day 4 – Yoga X (90 min)
Day 5 – Legs and Back (60 min), Ab Ripper X (16 min)
Day 6 – Kenpo X (60 min)
Day 7 – Rest

There are 13 discs, and each disc has a different workout. What I love about this is that each day is different and focuses on a different area of your body. Each week changes as you progress through the 13 week program.

Unless you are an active person, and are in decent shape, I would NOT recommend this program. It is very intense! We love it though!!!!!!

Fun at the Fair!

We love the fair, especially our county fair! It's small, breezy, has shade, and small attendance. We headed over on Monday night for some fun at the fair!

We let the girls ride some rides first. To our surprise, McKenna was big enough to go on some rides :) She loved them so much that she cried everytime she had to get off!

After rides, we played the famous mouse game......the girls LOVED the mouse, although we never won anything.

You can't go to the fair without fair food! Macy enjoyed some nachos, Jeremy and McKenna shared some chicken strips and french fries, and I had my favorite, A CORNDOG! Yum!

You would think my girls' favorite part of the fair would've been the rides, but the rides took a second place to the animals. We walked through all the barns with sheep, cows, horses, and chickens. The best part of it all was located in one of the barns. They had a fenced in petting area. My girls got to pet sheep, goats, pigs, and a cow. They loved it!!!!!!!!

They even got to be farmers for the day!

Our trip ended with a pony ride and a funnel cake! Yay and yum! What a great night for our family!