Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

CHD Awareness Week!

Feb. 7-Feb. 14 is Congenital Heart Defect awareness week. Before Jackson was born I had no idea about heart defects, and even if I would have known anything about them, I would never have thought it would happen to my child. It can, and it did! Now almost 6 years later we are so grateful for how well Jax is doing, but there are many other babies that we know who still need your prayers.

Did you know???

** CHD's are the number one birth defect and the number one cause of infant death related to defects-- 1 in 100 babies born will have a CHD

** 1 in 10 of those babies will have a fatal defect

**In the U.S., nearly twice as many children die due to CHDs than that of all forms of childhood cancers combined. Yet there is 5 times more research for pediatric cancer than for CHDs

**Causes for CHDs are still being studied. While there is no known definitive cause, it is said that both genetics and environmental factors can play a role.

**About 40,000 units of blood are used every day yet only about 5% of the adults, the only ones who are eligible to donate blood, do so. Someone needs blood every three seconds in the United States; that someone is often one of our heart children.

**Only about 30% of the children who need a heart transplant receive one in time.

What can you do??

RAISE AWARENESS -- DONATE BLOOD -- REGISTER TO BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR!

I also wanted to mention that baby Gracie is in need of prayers again. She was supposed to have the 2nd of her 3 surgeries today, but her family found out that her heart is not healthy enough to have the surgery. They are now looking to a heart transplant to save her life. Gracie has a special place in our hearts (especially Jackson's) b/c she was born just 6 days after our Lila. It is so hard for us to see her struggle and we wish so much that she can get a new heart and get to experience life as a healthy little girl.

p.s. I took the top part of this about CHD's off another heart baby's blog. She wrote it well, and I am too sick to write my own stuff today. So thanks and I hope you don't mind me spreading the word!

Hair Cut

I've been thinking about cutting Sunny's hair for a little bit now. Ever since I've been pregnant, her hair has been a knotted mess and pulled into a messy pony tail. I just don't have the energy to fix it. It was getting super long, and was beautiful, but only if I took care of it. The reason I hesitated to cut it was because of the trauma I obviously still feel over the time she cut her hair. That was 16 months ago, and I have been drilling into her head since then that we are going to grow her hair to her butt.

But, it was getting so long and difficult that I started to think about cutting it. The only problem was that she was having none of it. I bribed her with everything I could think of and nothing worked. She was not cutting her hair. Then our little neighbor across the street cut hers, and Sunny thought it was adorable (and it is), so I used that to try and persuade her. It was still not quite enough. Then I hit the jackpot. A tea set! Yes, a tea set. She used to have one that Mok gave her, but a lot of the pieces are lost now (that's what happens when you have tea parties outside and in the bath tub) and she wanted a new one. As soon as I suggested it she said "Okay, lets do it!" So we did. She loves it. It also helps that I told her that hair keeps growing over and over and so it could get long again if she wanted it too.

Draper Temple

The kids and I went with Mom and Dad, and Josh and Jess to visit the Draper Temple. We had a really good time, and the kids loved it. They enjoyed following along with the little guide book and figuring out what we had seen and where we were going next. Ryan had to work, so he missed our little adventure, but he was able to meet us afterwards for some Applebee's!

Subliminal Message?

This morning Jax decided to make me a card. In kindergarten they are practicing writing stories with correct spacing and punctuation. If there is a word they cannot spell they just write the first (and sometimes last) sound. So, this letter reads:

"I love you mom and you are my b (best) f (friend)."

Are you seeing what I'm seeing? I haven't laughed this hard in a while!

My Sweet Girlies

What sweet kids I have!

Today after we took Jax to school it was time to put Lila down for a nap. I got everything ready and then had to run out of the room to do something. I laid Lila on the floor and gave her the bottle (she can feed herself). I told Sunny to stay in there in case she dropped it and I would be right back. When I came back this is what I found. My sweet Sunny holding her little sister.

Lila is still small, but so is Sunny. So when Sunny holds her it makes Lila look like a giant!

Cougar Watch!

Great! I was just scanning over the news and turns out I need to watch my back for cougars. Like we don't have enough to worry about right? Okay, so I'm bored, and thought the blog needed a new post. Sarah always likes when I post anyway right? So keep your animals inside, and don't be surprised if the neighbors cat looks bigger than normal. Check it out here

The Details

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. We really appreciate them. I'm due mid August. Doesn't that sound like forever away??? I'm 10 weeks now and it has been very tough. I get super sick with all my babies, but this could be the worst. I'm on every kind of medicine I can take and am still sick 24/7. It usually doesn't ease off until 15ish weeks, so I figure I've got at least another month of this. I know I'll make it, but it sure is hard.

We are very excited about adding a 4th child to our family. Jax and Sunny are 16 1/2 months apart and the new baby and Lila will be the same. We loved it so much the first time that we decided to do it again. I think the general consensus around here is that it will be another girl. Ryan and I don't really care, just hoping for another healthy baby. Jax flip-flops back and forth on what he wants. Some days it's a boy b/c he needs a brother, other days it is a girl b/c "baby girls are really cute!". Sunny of course wants another sister, and Lila could care less =)

I bought a Doppler like they use at the Dr.'s office and we have had a good time listening to the little heartbeat together. Jax is a pro at finding it, I swear he is going to be a doctor when he grows up. Well,I think that's all the baby news for now, I have to go resume my position on the couch!