Easter 2014

Easter 2014 with these three little sweets!

This is Kashton's puppy dog eyed face.  Please let me take my new bat to church! [[sorry buddy]]

Easter fun with friends!  We had a little Easter celebration at our house where we dyed and hunted for eggs and enjoyed some sunshine!  A fun Easter Egg hunt at Lake Walcott (including a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny! -- Leighton clearly loved him).

We love Easter and celebrating with our family and friends.

We are truly blessed.  

Sweets for my Sweet :: Ballet Performances

Get into the Groove Showcase

:: candyland::

West Minico Practice Performance

 



Lollipop, Lollipop :: Tap

Get into the Groove Showcase

 :: candyland ::

 

 

West Minico Practice Performance

 

pumpkin patch!

 

It really isn't fall without a trip to the good ol' pumpkin patch! And it just so happens that this country town has the cream of the crop! I can remember coming to this VERY pumpkin patch with my family when I was a little girl and it's one of my favorite fall memories.  We lucked into a Saturday with [perfect] fall weather and LOVED spending a good chunk of our afternoon picking pumpkins!

Last year Leighton was so little she didn't get to experience the glory of big orange pumpkins!  She loved it this year!

 

love these two.

they keep me on my toes

and especially [thankful] each

and every day.

 



Kashton was like a kid in a candy store! So much to look and and SO MUCH to do! It was nice to have an ENTIRE field for him to run like a little banshee thru.

 

Fall is my favorite.  By far.  So glad I get to make such fun memories with my family!!

Soccer

 

Jackobi was so excited to play soccer this fall! She begged to play, so we decided to let her give it a try.  We quickly learned she didn't love it.  Or even really like it. [obviously shown in the picture below] She loves to kick the ball in the yard when it's just us, but when there's a large crowd, she'd rather stand as far from the action as possible.  "I don't want to get kicked" she says ... can't blame the girl.  She did find another friend, Jett, who was as disinterested in the soccer game as her, so they made quite the pair playing with each other as far from the ball as possible.  They actually became quite fun to watch.  Where soccer didn't go quite as we had thought, by the end of the season Jackobi came out of her shell a bit. She wouldn't full on play, but did manage to participate a bit.  My favorite part of the season, was after their last game.  All the players got medals, and in the car on the way home -- she told how proud of herself she was for sticking it out and not quitting.  We are too!! It was a fun season of soccer! [and quite possibly the last for Miss Jackobi ... she says we should just stick to dance!]

 

a [little] Kashton update ::

Kashton Tate :: this little guy sure makes us [smile]  He is firey with a ton of personality and very sure of what he wants and likes.  He has always been quite the talker and is still very much so.  He tells us just what he's thinking and has quite the conversations!  He's gotten really into imaginative play and loves to play make believe.  He loves trucks, motorbikles (aka:: motorcycles) and tractors and anything that makes a loud motor noise! He still really loves baseball and playing outside.  Especially helping daddy shoot his bow or guns (he calls it "snapping" it.)   His favorite color is red (most of the time) ... and loves to be my helper.  He is all boy and generally really rough and tough, but in the same token is my sweet boy who gives lots of snuggles, hugs and kisses.  Oh and he has a head full of curls that are to die for!  He is our silly little comic relief most days full of mischief and energy.  I really don't know what we'd do without him! He's growing up so fast!

[confession]

A couple of weeks ago we found out that Leighton's surgeon [amazing surgeon might I add] was moving back to Boston.  The head of one of the organizations we're a part of was putting together a book for him as a token of appreciation - she asked each of us to submit a couple pictures of our "heart hero's" along with some surgery dates and a little note for Dr. Kaza.  We jumped at this opportunity -- what a neat idea. [the end result is amazing, might I add.  Talk about a book full of MIRACLES!]  However, I must admit, in looking for photos of Leighton I became a little disappointed in MYSELF for the lack of record keeping the last well ... um year! So :: here it is.  Re-commitment from me.  To do better.  I'm going to try and update my blog once a week :)  so they may be short - filled with trivial happenings of our lives, but I'd rather have that to look back on and smile than blank pages.  So ... here goes nothing~

Jackobi's [pre-school] Graduation ::

 

Jackobi graduated from pre-school and we couldn't be more proud of her! We're excited for her adventure in Kindergarden next year. She did really well in pre-school. It was so fun to watch her grow, learn and blossom throughout the year. She became quite a bit more social and had so much fun learning.  She made new friends and loved doing fun little projects.  They made the cutest ABC book throughout the school year.  It's fun to look thru and see just how much she has progressed since they started this fall.   Her teacher Andrea did such a good job mixing learning with fun activities. She really made each kid feel special and unique! Jackobi loved her.

:: recital season practice ::

Jackobi's dance class had a practice performance this week -- they were so cute dancing up on stage.  She really loves to dance and we love to watch her! 

 

[six months old] :: and :: three weeks post op

 

I can hardly believe Leighton is six months old already!!  She is such a sweet happy baby and will greet you with the biggest slobbery little smile and happy blue eyes any time she sees you.  She really is such a sweetheart and HAPPY! She's definitely a mama's girl and doesn't like it very much if I leave the room.  She loves to be snuggled and chews on anything and everything.  She has her two bottom teeth now and seems to be working on getting a couple more.  She is super interactive and loves to play and "talk".  She loves to play patty-cake and watch me and Jackobi dance silly for her.  Last week the weather was so beautiful, we were able to take her outside for a little bit and she absolutely loved it.  So curious and excited. She has found her toes and loves to play with them and chew on her feet when she can get them to her mouth.  She is growing so well and is towards the top of the charts in both height and weight. She loves her cheeks kissed and tummy tickled.

 

Yesterday was her post-op appointment in SLC and it went really well.  Her EKG and chest x-ray came back good and things seem to be healing nicely.  We monitored her for a bit both on and off her oxygen and her saturation levels are still on the low end, too low without her oxygen so we will be sporting her oxygen for at least another month.  She was sat'ing in the low 70's off her oxygen and we want her in the mid 80's.  So hopefully after another month we'll be able to kick the oxygen tank just in time for summer! :)  She no longer has to be on a constant "flow" of o2 which is nice.  We are able to take her off for an hour if we want to go outside "cordless" or take a quick ride in the car, so that's nice!  Yesterday she was able to have her first real bath since surgery (her incision has healed) and were able to do it without her oxygen on, so that was a treat!

We are still seeing so many blessings in her recovery and continued health, she is truly a miracle!

:: one week post op ::

 

It's hard to believe it's already been one week since Leighton's surgery.  We've been home for two days now and are making some adjustments.  Leighton is doing really well, she's sleeping better, eating better and having fun playing with her toys again.  Life really is just better at home!  We're still working on pain meds. trying to stay on top of her discomfort, but not just give her medicine around the clock.  She is also taking asprin daily to act as a blood thinner and will remain on that, as well as, her lasix prescription.  I can tell she's feeling so much better, but still needs to rest lots and just let her body heal.  Jackobi and Kashton are really glad to have her home as well! Kashton thinks her oxygen machine and tanks are pretty neat (we're having lots of "fun" teaching him to leave them alone).  And Jackobi is still our good little helper making sure she's always being played with and has her toys.  It feels good to be back together :)

:: home we go!!

[[day five]]

 

 

[someone] was all smiles today!!

 

The change in Leighton's mood and demeanor today were evident! She was acting more and more like her typical self as the day went on.  She was awake lots and super playful.  She even flashed that smile at all the Dr's at rounds this morning and the nurses throughout the day (they have been getting glares in previous days :))  She seems to be eating much better also and her O2 is on point.  She's down to 3/4 Liter on her Oxygen so that's really good! (anything above a 1 and you have to stay here :)).  The scale will be the big determining factor in the morning, so let's hope those chubby legs are storing some of that food she's eating!