Maisy the mischief maker

CHD Awareness Month

Maisy- the poster girl for congenital heart disease awareness.

I took this picture this week. 15 months old and 10 months after open heart surgery for her VSD repair.  Before Maisy was born, I never realized that heart disease was the #1 birth defect. Maisy's specific heart disease (a ventricular septal defect) is the most common of all, which is maybe why the surgery was only a 1% risk. 

Anyway, I just wanted to put in a plug for congenital heart disease awareness and encourage people to be aware and helpful.  My heart was touched by the many hospital volunteers who had made special blankets, hats, and goodies, and by those who volunteered time at the hospital. This is for all of those heart babies.

*Did you know there are 1.8 million people living with CHD in the United States

School Daze

We just registered for Kindergarten this week. How did that happen? I shouldn't act too much like it has come too soon, as Gracie DID turn 5 back in October. It has been hard for her to wait for Kindergarten when many of her good friends and favorite cousins already started this year. But, we are excited and ready for this new stage of life...we think.

Cute and Smart

We were driving Gracie to school the other day, when Gunner loudly proclaimed, "MOM, There's our church". I said, "Yep, there's the church". Unsatisfied with my lack of enthusiasm, he said more emphatically, "MOM, we just passed the church. It's behind us." To which I replied, "Good job, Gunner. You are so smart." Gunner then said in an offended and disgusted voice, "My not SMART, MY CUTE."

I told him that it IS possible to be smart AND cute. That's the goal, right?

Climbing

 Maisy is climber...just like my other kids. the other night she got up on the chair rail and was inching her way along by taking side steps. I didn't have the camera right by me and thought it might be safer to stand by her:)

t 

The picture below shows Gunner doing what Maisy was doing, but she was venturing over by the window, which doesn't have a couch below. Remember when Gunner had no hair?

For FREE

 We just got a free jump castle on craigslist. The kids had so much fun. As you can see, I need to sew a few spots because there is air escaping, but it stayed inflated enough for us to enjoy some good jumping time in the backyard.

There's no business like SNOW business

 Are my kids crazy?? Yes. They saw the snow start to fall and Gracie booked it upstairs to get her suit on. Gunner followed "suit"(he he). I'm the mean mom that said, "You are not going out there in your bathing suit". But then the nice dad said, "Go for it". Gracie went out and touched the slide, and ran back. Then she got up more courage and slid down the slide.

 Gunner was still trying to figure out what was "fun" about it.

Good times in Colorado:)