Just needing prayer

There are a few things burdening my heart right now that need the power of prayer. Can't post details, just need prayer. Thanks.

Catching up...

If you take the ottoman and flip it upsidedown it becomes a boat. ..

...or a bed...

This boy can sleep anywhere...

Filling Daddy's boots...

I am working on getting updated pics of all the rest of the kids...

It seems anymore there are just not enough hours in the day, and the heatwave of summer has finally hit. I am so tired by the time I sit down, I just haven't been up to keeping this blog up to

date...

The continuing pediatric cardiology saga here in Albuquerque hit its peak this week. We had fired Mattea's assigned cardiologist a few months ago and drove up to Denver to see wonderful Dr. Ivy. Well, our pediatrician convinced us to try one of the other cardiologists on the team so we could alternate between Denver and Albuquerque so we reluctantly agreed. Mattea's sleep study showed severe sleep apnea and they recommended an urgent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. The ENT docs wanted cardiology to clear her for the surgery, so now we make this appointment with the new, different cardiologist here. So what does the new, different cardiologist tell us, knowing the situation with infamous Dr. L?? She says that either we take the whole team of cardiologists, including Dr. L, or we can go to Denver for her care. So my husband told them we choose Denver. End of that chapter. I guess if she needs emergent cardiology care we will have to take her to the "other" local hospital emergency room and/or life flight her up to Denver. Sheesh...

Next Wednesday we pile into the van and head back up to Salt Lake. Kory is scheduled to check into Shriner's on Sunday afternoon for Monday morning surgery on his leg. We will spend the rest of the week visiting family, and we finally get to meet little (10 pounds already) Alexander. I can't wait to meet him, and to visit with everyone else! We hope to do some fun stuff while we are there, going to a water park and to a children's museum, and hopefully go shopping too.

Just some random pics...

This one was supposed to be LAST but I couldn't get it to go there...Estuardo finally sat still long enough to relax and fall asleep. Actually, looks like he fell asleep mid-lunge.

Just a goofy pic of Jesse wearing Estuardo's dog hat...

Everyone loves black olives!

Kory and Jesse in competition on the Wii...

Ignore the dates, my camera battery keeps dying and restarting the calendar.

More pics soon...

First things first, here's ALEXANDER!!!

Here's the newest little member of our family!!!

Little Alexander and his Mommy came home from the hospital today. Both are doing great!

A general update...

Well, my camera is missing. I've got pictures on it waiting to post and I have also missed quite a few Kodak moments the past few days :o( so I figured I will post a general update so I don't forget all that has been happening around here.
From the youngest on up---
Onny went for her first hippotherapy session last week and she really enjoyed it! Her early intervention therapist recommended her for it, and her sessions will be covered by the state. She is starting to talk more. It's strange to actually hear words coming out of her mouth. Then again, it's also strange listening to her talk in her Onnly language too. We are trying to decide what step to take next with her. She can either go to preschool at the local public school or to early headstart at the district early headstart program. The preschool is two days a week and right down the street but almost all the kids are at least 3 years old. The early headstart would be 5 days a week with kids her own age, at a school about 15 or 20 minutes from here. The third option would be the local Montessori school but we would have a hard time fitting that one into our budget. I am leaning towards the headstart but we would have to transport her every day and her school is in the opposite direction from Kory and Estuardo's schools for the fall.
Estuardo is on the go continuously and his vocabulary and conversational skills are getting better every day. I am working hard on manners and appropriate behavior with him. I've been getting him back into listening to stories I read to him. His 3 current favorites are the Llama Mama books, Yolen's How Does a Dinosaur... series, and most recently The Bear Snores On and the rest of the bear books in the series. We are building up quite a library.
Marisol is getting ready to go to summer camp for a week at New Mexico School for the Blind in Alamagordo. She leaves in about a week and a half. She will be taking the group bus down on a 4 or 5 hour drive to get there. Last year she had a blast and she's so excited to go again this year.
I drove Kory up to Salt Lake City last week for an appointment at Shriner's. His right leg has been growing very crookedly and he's getting kind of knock-kneed. We thought it was his prosthetic at fault but it's his leg. So we head back up the first of July for surgery (and of course to visit my daughter's family and that cutie pie new little baby of hers). We are going to try nd get up there a few days ahead of surgery so we can play a little bit before Kory is officially off his legs for several weeks.
Jesse had his yearly check up at the doctor's today and now has several referrals and lots of work ahead of him with therapies etc. The pediatrician says she wants him listening to books on tape and engaging his mind instead of sitting and staring all day.
Mattea has had several appointments this last couple of weeks. This week she saw the developmental pediatrician who released her from her care as she is doing so well. We also saw the pulmonologist who is starting her on a steroid inhaler to help her lungs a bit. He also said he might be able to help us with the continued quest to have her tonsils taken out. He said to wait and see the results of her sleep study--- which is actually tonight, right now in fact, and thought the results might be pretty much directly pointing to having the tonsils taken out. Then we would have to decide whether or not to take her up to Denver for the procedure or just have it done right here.
The most exciting thing for Mattea this week is that she started summer school, finally! I haven't heard from them as to how she is doing. I wonder if they realize she has never before had the opportunity to attend school. I hope they will be able to teach her lots of new things.
To be continued tomorrow...

8 pounds 15 1/2 ounces...

My brand new grandson Alexander was just born about an hour ago! No pics yet but hopefully soon. I will be headed up to visit on July 1st. I can't wait!!!

Mattea can see

Lou hasn't told you this but according to the eye doctor yesterday Mattea can see what we don't know is if she is far sighted or near sighted. The eye doctor was more interested in Esturado than making that clear. So another issue down and with good news of a sort.
Lou is off to Salt Lake City now with Kory to see if we can get him a better set of legs and what has to be done to correct the damage already done with the crappy set he has now.
I am home with part of the family and she took the other part. She just might get to see a new grandson while she is there if he decides it is time to make his grand entrance or it will mean another trip to salt lake for her as soon as she can.

MY eyes :o(

I forgot to post about my eye appointment last week prior to our trip to Denver. Last year the eye doc was unwilling to dilate my eyes because I had Estuardo with me and she was worried he would get into too much mischief. This year, I made him stay home with Dad while I went. The vision test didn't go very well compared to last year. Then when she dilated my eyes, she said I have beginning macular degeneration :o(
My Mom has MD also, much more advanced, but she is 90 years old.
So I have been doing research about how to prevent mine from getting any worse, if possible. I am kind of bummed, but sporting new blue-blocker sunglasses and taking lots of anti-oxidants and other nutritional supplements. I'll do what I can. I don't want to go blind, I just bought me that really cool new sewing machine and I want to get some use out of it... (sigh)

Tubes!

Mattea had her ABR hearing test this morning and they also did put PE tubes in her ears. After the tubes were in, she tested with normal hearing in at least one ear!!! So...maybe those babbles will start turning into words...and now she will be able to hear the music.
Tomorrow is her ophthalmology appointment...