The Many faces of Tommy

Tommy started his second year of preschool...I cant believe it! He loves school! He's a social bug, and he loves playing. He's such a fun kid, and loves to play pretend. Hes known around our neighborhood as the kid with all the costumes. Really, he has a bin full of costumes Hes loved them since he started imaginative play, but now is really getting into the roles. Boys must be born with "sound effects" installed, cause I didn't teach him any of the sounds he makes as he pretends to be whatever he is that hour. Here is a glimpse of what Tommys has been this week...

A star Student... devastated to learn that costumes weren't allowed at school except for halloween

as a Power Ranger...at the dentist. there are some battles just not worth fighting for me right now. 

 With a gas mask...

As Peter pan

Photos missing from this week: Tommy as a Pirate, Tommy as Spiderman, Tommy as a White Ninja

And Here a picture of Drue showing off how good his balance is getting!

We are still here...

Lately, I've been harassed by friends (Alicia, mainly) to post something.  I feel like I don't know my butt from my head, some days due to lack of sleep and exhaustion. We are all alive and well for the most part. We just got back from two weeks in Lake Tahoe. Rob took the part one of Step 2 of the Medical Boards for Med school at the beginning of August and he'll take part 2 of Step 2 the beginning of September... so its study mode at our house. I'm trying to be give Rob as much time as he needs to study, but he's such a good man that he wants to help me more around the house...and I need to tell him "No, go study!"

Tommy starts preschool on September 6th. He is so excited and we are lucky that the school is so close and kids from our complex will be in his class. Tommy does so much better with a routine and loves being with other kids. Who would have thought we would have had a social child? He has recently started riding his bike with no training wheels!

Drue is three months old. He's stayed out of the hospital for weeks! People often ask what is really going on with his health, and why we are vague when we talk about him. We are because we really don't know whats going on either. He's had many potential diagnoses, all of which are perplexing. As far as we can tell at this moment, he is a healthy boy. He has some physical development issues we hope will be worked out through weekly physical and occupational therapy and having him monitored by wonderful doctors. They won't deny the possibility of cerebral palsy for at least a year and even then we aren't 100% out of the woods. We hope the doctors are just being overly cautious due to all the previous mistakes that were made on  their part. But so far he's hitting all his milestones, including smiling and laughing. Rob reminds me daily to enjoy all the things Drue is doing and to treat him like he isn't sick at all -- treat him normally and dont freak out cause most likely, he is just that, normal and perfect. So, despite my anxieties, I'm trying to soak up these baby moments knowing they will pass quickly, thanking the Lord for our boys.

On a side note, I turned 30 this week. Never thought I'd be 30, married, and have two kids. I still feel like I'm 20 at heart. This was evident today when Tommy was singing at the top of his lungs the song "Call Me Maybe," while we were driving in the car. I don't feel different at all.  It's just weird to say that I'm 30 now. That does seems old... What will I do my next 30 years? Who knows, but I'm sure it will be as exciting as the first 30!

Rubicon Bay, Lake Tahoe. Our dock and beach.

My Mom (Manna as the grandkids call her) loving on Baby Drue.

Tommy and I taking a picture while we "try" to bond. Hes not much of a snuggler. 

Drue, 3 months old and asleep, FINALLY! 

Heavenly day

We anticipated a much easier entrance into the world for Drue. Things didn't go as planned at all, but a day doesn't go by that we aren't aware that he is our miracle baby in every way. We are blessed, and truly when this baby was born and when he was able to come home in our arms, it truly was a HEAVENLY DAY. We are grateful for all your fasting, prayers, and support. We hope this little guy will continue to progress.

We are all under one roof...

Thought I'd update really quick. Drue was released from the NICU, and we were all home together for a few days. Then the night of his circumcision, it hemorrhaged. We were put back in the hospital to have his little privates worked on. Turns out they accidentally nicked an artery, a 1/25,000 chance. We love to be the one, dont we? So, we are all home now...and hope to stay that way for a long time. We are getting is baby pictures today....a month late due to circumstances...so more Drue to come. Again, thank you for all the prayers, fasting, and love. We have needed them.

Baby Drue is here...but not home

As many of you know, we had Drue on May 9, at 9:07 am. Immediately followed a rush of concerns for him, that have not ceased. We have been to the depths of dispair at many moments these past few days, and still have little idea of what is wrong, or when we will get to have our baby be healthy and home. This song was shared with me a while ago, and I shared it with Rob the first few nights in the hospital. It couldn't express what we are feeling more right now inside.

Please keep us in your prayers. Pray for Drue to improve.

Tommy turns 4

Yep...I have a 4 year old. Crazy to say that out loud. Tommy has dove into his imagination full throttle this past year, and changes his costumes at least twice a day. If you live near us, you will see Spider man about 3 pm, batman about 4:30 pm, and a lion or pirate about 5 pm. It was hard for me to see a birthday go by without celebrating him, despite my snapped pubic bone. There is going to be a lot of new attention in the baby, and I wanted to make sure that he felt special right before. he decided early on, like December, that he wanted a Pirate party. I prepared as early as I could, and pulled it off. The real hit was my parents gift to him which was a bounce house for the party. This was also a huge relief to me as all i had to do to entertain was have the kids jump really! With the rain and snow forecast, we moved it to the church. Not ideal, but worked great. Rob helped decorate the gym and ran the popcorn machine. We played pin the patch in the pirate, and had a treasure chest pinata. Then it was jumping time. We had the whole sunbeam class and a few other friends, and parents of course. We had an Italian soda bar for the "big pirates" and it was like we were on an island! Thanks to Jeni and Victoria, we got the gym cleaned up, and were done! My pelvis is not so good now, but pain meds help. Only a few more weeks they say, but I'm measuring two weeks ahead. My doc is pro baby, not mom really and only threatens to hospitalize me for my pain before he takes the baby. So, I stopped threatening, and hope to stay out of the hospital until I actually have the baby. Rob refuses to pop my water, so even though its safer, I'm still pretending to be furious with him. I wont complain anymore, just celebrate how great it is I got through four years without killing my first child.

There are days I just want to wear this around my neck.