I know it has been since March. I could come up with a million excuses, but I will just say one, life has gotten the better of me this past 6 months.
Get ready, here is the 6 month update...
NATALIE...
Natalie turned 5 in July! I still can't believe we have been we have been blessed with her amazing strength and fight for life this past 5 years. I look back and think, there is no way we went through all we have gone through with her. She is truly a miracle and shows her beauty and strength daily.
Natalie just started 5 year old preschool this week. We decided the best thing for her, was to give her one more year until kindergarten. So she is the big kid on her campus this year. She has been memorizing bible verses and sight words.
Natalie also learned to swim this summer! She is still working on it, but is doing amazing for having no real strength. We plan to continue swim lessons through the fall to help build muscle and just so she can exercise a bit, but have fun in the process. She also started gymnastics too, which she has worn the leotard for a week straight. Yes, I pick my battles and that is not one I care about it, plus she look so stinkin' cute in it, because she is so tiny.
This past May, Natalie had a little graduation from Preschool 4's. I did cry like baby through the entire program, even though I know we had one more year before kindergarten, so chances are I will cry again this May.
She also had her ballet performance. Make up and Natalie do not go very well together. She is so fair complected with a hint of bluish-purple to it, that is makes it very difficult, not to mention, I do not wear a lot of make up. She did great in her performance! She had fought me on ballet class all spring about not wanting to go. The day of the performance, she loves it and now dances around the house...who knows.
We went to Scottish Rite in June for Natalie's annual scoliosis appointment. The curve in her spine has basically stayed the same over the past few years. The curve can alter a little from year to year, by the way the stand, etc. Overall though, she is doing great! Our doctor, Dr. Richards, did say that more than likely at some point she will need rods put in her back, but we do not know when. My personal goal, would obviously to never have to have rods, but if she does, to not only have them put in once. But for now, we just continue to monitor her from year to year.
She also had her annual cardiology appointment in August. This was a big appointment, because we got wait a little over a year from her last appointment. Her echo and EKG looked wonderful, good blood flow. She is also 30lbs, which is huge for her and has maintained for the past 6 months. Her oxygen was low around 79-80 for some reason, so we go back in January for another appointment. This is nothing to stress about it, we just need to monitor it to make sure she does not drop any lower. The heat is hard on her in the summer, so I am hoping with fall around the corner, it will start cooling down a bit.
CARTER...
Carter had a fun and excited summer. There is nothing better than starting your summer off with a broken thumb! Carter broke his thumb in the last baseball game of the season. Luckily, it was a good break (if there is a good break) and he just had to wear a stint for 6 weeks, but was still able to swim. The downside was he did not get to go to football, baseball or basketball camp.
He started the second grade! I was looking at old pictures a few weeks ago and I am amazed at how big he is now. He was adorable as a kid and kind of chunky, but now he is tall; still adorable when he wants to be, but other times, well he is a boy and 7 years old and strong. Luckily, he still wants to snuggle and hold my hand. I know that time will soon fade in the future, but I will take it as long as I can.
Carter has also started to enjoy the fun of being a kid growing up and all that goes with it. He got braces in April on his top teeth. He will have them for about 18 months and then have retainers until all of his baby teeth are gone, then will get another set of braces. For some reason, orthodontists are doing 2 phases of braces vs the long, long 1 phase we all had as kids.
We also found out last week that Carter needed glasses; poor kid got my eyes and not Larry's (which are better than 20-20). Picking out frames with a 7 year old is, TERRIBLE!
THE FAMILY...
We finally moved in June! We basically commuted the entire school year. Now, I know all you that live in big cities, commute everyday and I am sorry you have to do that. I was generally okay with it, but I had moments; like when I left Natalie's ballet tights at home and realized it was going to be easier and cheaper for me to go buy a new pair then drive home to get hers, because there was no time. I lived out of my car. I had snacks, drinks, baseball bag and clothes, ballet bag and extra clothes, because you just never know. I was worn out by the end of the year and then we moved!
Moving is always fun, but super fun when you did not pack your stuff to begin with it and have furniture in storage for 4 years prior. The movers dropped all of our boxes off one day and then told us that the screws to our dining room table and to the beds were in some box. Let me give you and idea really fast about how many boxes we had...I did not pack remember. We had one box that had 2 bowls in it and that is all, one with 5 neck ties and that is all and another with 8 plates. All of our boxes were like that, so when someone tells you the screws you need are in a box and you have a 1,000 boxes it seems, what do you do? You put you butt in gear and have a record unpacking time. Best part is, after we opened the last box, we still did not find the screws...gotta love that.
Two days later we were in the garage looking around and Natalie asks for her pink basket on top of the refrigerator. Larry first said, not now, but I said just give it to me. Guess what??? Oh yes, the screws were right there! Awesome isn't
We are finally almost settled and unpacked 3 months later. Our yard however has seen better days. We decided to wait until fall to lay the grass, so it will do better, which means right now it is dirt and looks nasty. Oh well, we are those neighbors right now that do not take care of our yards, sorry.
We also went to the beach in July! We drove to Florida and back. I have to say, my kids did amazing for being in the car for 2 straight days; 5 states in one day. That is right, Texas is a full day by itself.
PAST NEWS...
The Heart Glo was so much fun! I want to encourage all that could not come out last year, to try and make it out this coming year. I will let you know that date, when we figure it out, but probably around the same time in May.
