Our family's journey through life

A few weeks ago I thought it would be fun to get in the Halloween spirit and make ghost hands with Owain for all of his wonderful grandparents. Being a pre-school teacher this is something I do every year my kids. Well Owian didn't really know what to think? He wasn't really into it at all. Maybe next year?





I think they turned out pretty darn cute!


Tomorrow is a very busy day. In the morning Owain has a follow up with his amazing surgeon Dr.Zigman and xrays plus Owain will be getting his RSV shots.

Then after our morning at the doctors my best friend Erin who is also Owain's god mother will be flying in from Arizona. I am so excited this will be Owain's first time meeting his Aunt Erin!

Our day is not done yet...Owain's grandma Payette is going to be picking us up and we are going to get all dressed up for Halloween! I am not sure what the plan is but Owain will be in a really cute costume so stay tuned....

I am so excited Kaden won the bedroom set! congratulation's Kaden!
Thank you to everyone who voted for Kaden!

Re-post


You only have until October 29 to make your vote. If you haven't already please vote for Kaden!

As some of you already know if you read this post I entered Owain in a sleepy angel contest with 5 minutes for mom. Well they have now picked their top twenty and now we get to vote. Owain didn't make it in the top twenty but our friend Kaden did! I can see why they picked his picture it is so sweet it brought tears to my eyes.I really think Kaden should win!

I already made my vote!

Now it's your turn!

Vote for Kaden!

At five minutes for mom

Today daddy took Owain to his physical therapy appointment. I was bummed that I had to work and was unable to go. I made daddy promise to take some pictures. I know I am such a first time mom!


His therapist was very pleased with his progress!She gave Owain an A++. His last visit was two months ago and boy is he more mobile than ever! Owain is not only crawling but he is now speed crawling. He loves to chase our kitty around the house. He pulls himself up on anything and everything. I lost count of how many times I have had to ice his little head from falling. I have considered making him wear a crash helmet but I really don't want to be come one of those moms.I am so proud of my little man!


After physical therapy daddy and Owain went to get their flu shots and Owain didn't even cry! What a big brave boy!

We had a really nice visit with Great Grandma. Just within the last week she has been feeling better. I think a lot of it as to do with everyone praying. Thank you. She was in less pain and was able to talk and hold Owain. The visit was so much more a "fun" visit. Instead of visiting her in the ICU when she couldn't breathe and didn't even remember us visiting. I just don't want her to be in any pain and right now she says she feels way better than she did a week ago.

As of this past Tuesday my grandma was released from the hospital.She is very sick but is feeling better and happy to be home. With the help of my grandpa and other family members she is being well taken care of.She even has a nurse that comes once a week to check on my Grandma. We are getting ready to hit the road and make a visit. Here is a picture of Owain with his great grandma a couple of months ago....
Thank you for everyone who has prayed for my grandma. This past week she has been in less pain and being able to breathe a little easier.

Thank You

Have a great weekend!

About a month ago after checking in on Owain during nap time and this is what I saw....
I thought to myself maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to get a bumper for his crib. Well this is what I found my little man all tangled up in his new bumper!
He wasn't to thrilled with the whole bumper thing. Can you blame him? I wouldn't want to sleep all tangled up.
Of course that isn't exactly how the bumper is suppose to work. This one that I bought was not designed right. Their were only strings on one side of the bumper to tie it onto to the crib. So their was no possible way it would stay on! Silly design!

So we said"goodbye bumper"

My little man


Wow I can't believe nine months has already flew bye! Just in the last month you have really learned how to take off. About three weeks ago you have learned how to pull yourself up on anything and everything. Your play cube is one of your favorite toys. I think you like it because their is so much you can do and explore on it and your able to pull yourself up.I am so proud of you!Once you learned to pull yourself up now when it's bedtime you pull yourself up in your crib. Daddy had to lower your bed.We were worried that you might learn to climb out at the rate your going.The only problem with you pulling yourself up in your crib is you haven't quite figured out how to get down with out falling. Yes you have had a few new boo boos nothing that a mommy kiss and a little ice can't cure.

Less than a week later you discovered you can get to your destination much faster if you gave up the army crawl and got up on your hands and knees! Now your crawling every where and getting into everything! Boy you are keeping your daddy and I on our toes. Phoebe our kitty cat too. You get real excited whenever you see our kitty. You start laughing and now you chase her! She is such a good kitty she just looks at you meows and occasionally gives you a lick on the head.

Not only in the last month you have started crawling,pulling yourself up but you have started to say a few words! Your first word was book. Since book you have said kitty,da da,maa maa and ba ba. You are growing up so fast! I am so proud to be your mommy and watch you grow. Know matter how big you get you will always be my little baby.

Love you

Mommy

P.S Here are some pictures of you with your cube,pulling yourself up like a big boy!

Warrior Princess Nayeli is going strong with her fight against CDH. She is doing so good that she is schedule to have her repair surgery between 1-2 today. That is fantastic! After surgery the first three days will be the most critical. Please pray for her that she will continue do go strong and recover with out to many bumps along this crazy CDH roller coaster ride.

Thank You

After twenty hours of labor and four hours of pushing Nayeli was born this morning to her proud parents Liz and Shane. Liz is a rock star! after three hours in recovery she was able to get out of her hospital bed and into a wheel chair to go see Nayeli in the NICU. I am truly impressed by Liz's strength. Specking from someone who had a c-section I don't know how she did it! Truly amazing!

Pleas keep Shane,Liz and sweet little Nayeli in your thoughts and prayers as Nayeli battles with CDH.

Let the roller coaster ride began. Oh and god...please let their ride be a nice smooth ride with not to many bumps and turns.

Thank you!

This post is a little late. I misplaced place my cord to my camera(maybe I should get a little organized). So I was unable to download these pictures.Sorry for the lateness.

I did not do eight loads of laundry and put it all away all in the same day. Nope not me I am never that productive!

Not my son! I did not catch my almost nine month old standing in his crib reaching for his musical light show that is on his dresser and he wasn't successful at knocking it down.


I am not in denial about my grandmother's illness. She is not dieing! I did not have a break down several times after visiting her in the hospital. Nope not me! I am not an emotional wreck!

I haven't been nagging my husband to quit smoking! Not me I would never nag!

For more Not me! Mondays check out My Charming kids blog

Have a great Monday!

I am going to keep this short because I am exhausted. We got back late last night from visiting my grandma. I don't really know what to say except she looks awful and in a lot of pain. She is dieing and their is nothing anyone can do about it except be their for her. I hate to see her in so much pain. We didn't get to visit with her to long because she needed her rest and was having a very difficult time breathing. She did smile when I held Owain up. Even though we were only with her for maybe twenty minutes I am so glad we made the two hour drive (both ways) to see her smile when she saw her great grand baby.

More on grandma later.....

Thank you for all your prayers

We are on our way to Eugene (two hour drive) to visit my grandma. She has been really sick in the hospital earlier this week and early this morning she was moved back into the ICU. I don't know all the details alls I know is she is very sick. Please please pray for her. Our plan is to drive back tonight.

Thank You

Owain does! Last weekend daddy bought Owian his very first ball and he loves it! I think the ball is one of his favorite toys. Right up their with his blocks. The first picture is daddy getting Owain with the ball. He thought this game was hilarious he was busting up laughing. Oh how I love the sound of him laughing. I swear Owain has the sweetest laugh. It brings me such joy when I hear him laugh.

Oooh let me see this thing you call a ball.
I got it! My very own ball!
I love this picture this is a face Owian makes quite a bit. He usually makes this face when he is excited or angry. I love it!

As some of you already know if you read this post I entered Owain in a sleepy angel contest with 5 minutes for mom. Well they have now picked their top twenty and now we get to vote. Owain didn't make it in the top twenty but our friend Kaden did! I can see why they picked his picture it is so sweet it brought tears to my eyes.I really think Kaden should win!

I already made my vote!

Now it's your turn!

Vote for Kaden!

At five minutes for mom

I just received a call from my sister our Grandma (Owain's great grandma) is in the hospital with a cold. A cold usually isn't very serous but for her it can be deadly as she as been battling Emphysema for years. Please pray for my grandma to fight off this nasty cold so she can go home.

Thank You!

As many of you know, today (October 15th) is the National Day of Remembrance for pregnancy and infant loss. This includes all babies who have died because of miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, or any other infant death.

As some of you may know or not know eight years ago I lost a baby due to miscarriage. I still think about the baby I never met and wonder what if?

Today we have our healthy baby boy Owian and I feel incredible blessed to be his mother.

After seven plus weeks back in the hospital Ella finally gets to go home!

Welcome Home Ella!

Please continue to pray for Ava,baby Carter and baby Catherine while they battle against CDH.

Thank You!

Last Thursday daddy took Owain to his nine month well visit. I was a little disappointed that I was not able to go because I had to work.I asked daddy to take a picture of Owain during his appointment(I know I am such a first time mom and a little camera happy). The picture above is Owain sitting on daddy's lap waiting for Dr.H.

He doesn't turn nine months until the twenty-fifth of this month. We actually moved his appointment a few weeks early. We were concerned with his eating habits.Owain has never really been a huge eater. He tends to eat only a few ounces at a time. The most would be three to five ounces.Unless we offer him solid food which he loves. If we would let him he would probably eat solid food all day long unless it is banana or peaches. Those seem to be the two foods he least likes. Anyways back at his six month well visit Dr.H suggested only feeding him solids twice a day(I was giving him solid three times a day) that way hopefully he will want to drink more of his bottles. We tried that and it didn't really seem to make much of a difference. Depending on the day. He would have some days where he would drink all of his bottles and other days he would barely drink 1-2 ounces at a time. This can be very frustrating. Every since we brought Owain home from the NICU back in March we have been trying to fatten him up and get him out of the one percentile for weight. We even give him a higher calorie formula. He is on 25cal and he is still in the one percentile.

Last month when we took Owain to the doctor because he had a cold he lost a few ounces.A few ounces may seem like not that much but for Owain it is a lot.He was a little under 14 pounds. I am always worrying about his weight. Because of the ounces he lost he was no longer on the curve as far as his weight. Well I am happy to report that he is back on the curve! He now weighs 14lb. 7oz. He still is little and only in the one percentile for weight but the important thing is he is back on the curve. Dr. H wasn't to concerned with his eating habits. Daddy showed her a log of all of his food and bottle intake and she was pleased with how much he has been eating. Since he hasn't lost any weight since his cold and he is gaining again she told us not to worry. His height is 26.5 inches so that makes him in the tenth percentile. Which keeps him on the curve and his head 18inches! Yes our baby boy as a big head. His head is in the 75precintile still. Which is really good that means he has a big brain and maybe one day his body will catch up to his head.

Since his appointment last Thursday we stared feeding him twice as much solids and Owain is loving it! He loves his solids and since we started feeding him more solids he has been eating more of his bottles! Woohoo!way to go little man! Keep it up your going to have chunky thighs in no time!

I absolutely did not skip a shower two days in a row and decide to where my pajamas all day after all I wasn't planning on going anywhere I new at some point in the day I would end up getting puked on,pooped on or peed on. Maybe even all three if I was lucky.

Nope I did not miss last Mondays not me just because I was feeling a little lazy. I never get the lazy bug. Nope not me!

I am not starting this weeks Not Me Monday a day early hoping that maybe I can get into the top ten on my favorite blog of all time My Charming Kids. The creator of Not Me Mondays. Heck I would be happy if I can at least be in the top twenty. I am amazed at how fast it fills up.

I would never wash laundry and simple be to lazy to put it all away. After all I never get the lazy bug. So in our house we don't have a pile of clean clothes and next to that pile we don't have a pile of clothes that are waiting for the spin cycle.Not in our house!

I did not eat out several times this week and later weighed myself and discovered I gained four pounds! I never eat junk food,fast food or soda. Nope not me.

When our little warrior was in the NICU fighting for his life trying to beat the odds and kick CDH (Congital Diaphragmatic Hernia) booty. I honestly believe what helped him beat the odds and helped me and daddy be strong enough to get through those very difficult times was all the support from family,friends and even strangers praying for our little warrior. I know without their support and prayers I don't know if I would have been strong enough and honestly believe that all the prayers really helped Owain recover and beat the odds. Of course Owain wouldn't be here without all the amazing Doctors and Nurses. I am so incredible thankful for everyone that helped us get to the end of our crazy CDH roller coaster ride.....Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

As I am typing this their are three children and their families that need our prayers more than ever. First their is sweet Ava who is two and already beat the odds and won her first CDH battle when she was a newborn. Last Saturday she reherniated and had to have emergency surgery. She is having a difficult time recovering. Please pray for her that she will have the strength to come off of the vent and be on the right road to recovery. It breaks my heart to watch her go through this all over again it seems really unfair. I don't think any child should have to go through any of this.

Next is baby Catherine who was born August 23,2008 and she has been in th NICU fighting a very good fight. Within the last couple of days she has taken a few steps backward please pray that she will be able recover from this devastating birth defect and go home with her mommy and daddy.

Next is our newest warrior baby Carter he is only three days into his battle and is having a rocky few days. Last night he was put on ECMO. Please pray for him that his lungs and heart will be able to rest while ECMO is doing it's job. Pray for him to have the strength to come off of ECMO and to be stable of enough to have his repair surgery.

And lots of lung function chants!

Thank You

Happy First Birthday Wyatt!

You have come along way buddy.
You are the definition of a true warrior.
Happy first birthday!

If you would like to read Wyatt's amazing story battling CDH and beating the odds check out his blog.

5 minutes for mom is having a contest to win a bedroom furniture for your child. You can learn more information on how to enter at their blog.

I don't know if we have a shot at winning but I thought it would be fun. I found this silly picture of Owain. He doesn't always sleep like that. We are actually going to get him a crib bumber to prevent this from happening again.

I heard of this contest from two blogs that I follow Kaden and Angel Ava's blog. Check out Kaden's picture it is so sweet it brought tears to my eyes.

Rhett's Journey who needs our prayers yesterday was his third birthday and he ended up in the hospital.

Today baby John Carter Myers was born and began his fight against CDH. So far he is doing great. Keep fighting Carter,stay sting you can beat CDH!

Please pray for Carter that he will have the strength to beat this awful birth defect and pray that he will have good lung function. We believe in you Carter!

Pray for his parents Brad and Kellie as they begin this crazy CDH roller coaster. Pray that the ride won't be to bumpy.

Thank You!

Saturday evening we took Owain to his very first art exhibit. Our friend Steve had a show up at the Portland State University. We thought it was a great excuse to get out of the house and expose Owain to some creativity art. We had a nice time and Owain really enjoyed people watching.

here is a picture of Owain and daddy hanging out .Checking out the art with mommy
Exploring Steve's piece of work
Not sure what to think of Steve...Who is this silly guy?

Please pray for Ava. She was air lifted to a hospital Saturday. The Doctors are still running test to determine why she is in a lot of pain. They are afraid that she might have re herniated. Which is a fear of every parent of a child born with CDH.

Please pray that Ava's pain can be managed and that the Doctors can determine what is the cause of her discomfort. Not only keep Ava in your thoughts and prayers but also her parents. Pray for them to have the strength to get through this difficult set back.

Thank You

These are some awesome Farmer Pics of our son at a yearly event called "Intensity in Tent City" which coincides with our good friend's(Ben's) birthday. Take a gander. I know these are like 3.5 months a little late, but couldn't get them until today. Rock out little farmer-man!

For months now Owain has been saying "baabaabaa" sometimes he throws in a few "maamaamaa". It's really cute when were in the car and Owain is in the back seat he just starts having a conversation with us "baabaabaa". So naturally we say "baabaabaa" right back at him he loves it when we talk his lingo.

The other morning Owain was sitting on his daddy's lap while daddy was reading him a book and out of no where Owain said "book" daddy and I just looked at each other "did you just here what I heard?" We booth heard it loud and clear. Our little man just said his first word "book". Needless to say we have been trying to get him to say it again and he doesn't like to be put on the spot so his been keeping quiet.

Later in the day after Owain's first word he decided it was time to pull himself up in a standing position. I was stunned! He stands quite a bit with one of us helping him but never before he has been able to pull himself up from a sitting position to standing until today.

The excitement doesn't end there! Much later in the day Owain was standing holding on to his play cube when he decide to let go and turn! I grabbed onto his waist before he had a chance to loose his balance and fall.

This was a big day for Owain first word,standing all by himself. I am so proud of him!