Eating pizza on the boardwalk.

Don't think I'll be able to hold them both at the same time for much longer!

Ethan swimming in the lake.

One more trick...he picks up the phone, holds it over his shoulder and says, "HI".

Babies playing in the ocean with Nana and Pop!

Busy Days!

We are really enjoying our summer...lots of travels, time at the pool, and playing outside. Doesn't leave much time for updating the blog. Ellie spent a week with Nana and Pop...all by herself! She was so well-behaved and had a great time walking around the neighborhood, riding in the wagon, and eating lots of treats. Ethan and I went up last week to pick her up and stayed a week. We visited the shore, went swimming a few times and experienced some crazy NJ storms (complete with power outages and downed trees) quite exciting. Had to spend one night at MomMoms and take the kids over another night for baths when the electricity went out. It was a great trip!

Ellie finally had her first dentist appointment this week. I tried to prepare her...we've been talking about it for months and I borrowed lots of the books from the library. She really enjoyed reading the books...did not enjoy actually visiting the dentist though. She sat on my lap, but that didn't seem to help much...she just screamed the entire time. Hopefully the next visit in six months will be better. She did, however, enjoy getting a new toothbrush and bracelet. We should have a break in visits for a while now. As long as she stays healthy, she doesn't need a checkup until her next brithday and won't need to see the neurologist until January. She has had 10 appointments total since her stroke! I think she deserves a break.

Ethan sure is keeping us on our toes. He cut his first tooth last night. Not that he needs them (I swear the boy could gum a steak!), but I am glad that he got one before his first birthday. He is trying to take some steps alone and is flying around holding onto the furniture. He is also enjoying climbing. We have to watch where we keep Ellie's stepstool or he might end up on top of something - like the coffee table! His hair is growing insanely fast and he really needs a haircut, but I am trying to wait till his birthday. His new tricks include...making a "vroom" sound when he pushes a car/truck around the room, laying on his belly while swimming and kicking his legs (it really looks like he is trying to swim!), and sucking on a pacifier - ok, so this isn't really a trick, but is hysterical that he decided at 11 months old that he wanted one...not sure how I feel about it.

Don't worry, I'll put up another post with just pictures. Enjoy!

Ellie's Amazing!

Today was dress like a cow and eat free day at Chick-fil-A, so I painted some spots on some old onesies and took the kids. We met up with Ellie's buddy Ryan and had a great time!

Ellie was so excited to see the "big cow" she probably would have talked to it all day...Mommy thought it was a bit creepy though.

Just a few short weeks ago he wouldn't crawl...now he won't stay seated. He is trying to climb stairs already too...we are in big trouble!

Sporting the matching monkey jammies from Grandmoo.

Ellie has been enjoying the cherry tomatoes from the little plant we put in a pot on our front steps...we get one or two everyday and Ellie has eaten them all!

Those were the exact words her Neurologist used during Wednesday's follow-up appointment. She is just astonished at how quickly she has rebounded from the stroke and thinks she is doing wonderfully. In fact, we don't need to have another follow-up until next January! Except for another round of blood tests in a few weeks (we had to have some done this week as well), she shouldn't have any additional tests or appointments! It will be so nice to get to have some normalcy without having to run her around to doctors and evaluations. We are so thankful and are equally amazed by our strong little girl! She was so brave throughout the appointment and is getting better at expressing her emotions. The morning of the appointment I told her we had to go to the city and talk to the doctor. She immediately asked if the doctor was going to "poke her". I told her we were just going to talk to the doctor and that the doctor wanted to see how her brain was doing. I had told her last week that she needed the MRI cause the doctor wanted to take some pictures of her brain - so I was hoping she could make some sort of connection. Well, when the appointment was over, she was so excited she exclaimed, "You didn't poke me!" - she is too funny! We did have to have some blood tests done, which were a bit more traumatic. The lab was very busy so I had some time to try and explain to Ellie what was going to happen. She had a lot of blood drawn during her stay at the hospital, but I wasn't sure how much of it she actually remembered. This is about how our conversation went:

Ellie: Is it going to hurt?

Me: It might. It will be a little pinch.

Ellie: I think I will cry.

Me: It's ok to cry.

Then she didn't say anything else and went back to playing. When they finally called us in for the test, she had a meltdown. She started crying hysterically and was shouting, "I'm scared of the blood!". She cried the entire time, but the tech. was very good with her and patient. At the end of the test when we told her it was all done she said (through some pretty good sobs), "I did good, and I didn't even cry!" That's our girl!

Oh, and a video too!

Enjoy!

You didn't think I'd post without pictures did you?!?

Ethan's first taste of corn-on-the-cob! Of course he loved it...the boy will eat anything! Did I mention that he ate dirt at the beach in NJ! Yeah, twice actually.

Our grill master making some dinner. See the new fence behind him...and yep, the old fence is there too.

Ethan is wearing the sunglasses Ellie got from the nurse before her MRI. I told her they were her moviestar glasses. We think the pink starts look pretty good on Ethie!

I know our NJ and New England friends and fam have'nt been enjoying the rain, but look what visited us after a brief late afternoon rain shower. Can you see it? It was really pretty from our front window.

And cause you know I can't pass up the opportunity for a comparison...

Ellie eating corn-on-the-cob, July 2009

Ellie eating corn-on-the-cob, July 2008

Happy 4th!

Wish I had some fireworks pictures to share...but sadly, I forgot my camera last night. We went out to Winchester with Unca Jamey and Auntie Barb, Nana and Pop and saw a nice fireworks show. It was Ethan's first (obviously). I wasn't sure how he would be, but he really liked them - lots of smiles and clapping. Ellie really enjoyed them too. I don't think she remembered them from last year. It was a long wait to get out of the parking lot and Ellie was telling us all about the fire fighters. She was getting it confused with fireworks. She told us she wants to be a firefighter when she is older, but that she wants to be a nurse first. She has been seeing alot of those lately, so I am not sure if that is influencing this decision.

Ellie is doing so well! We have had just a few appointments recently. She had an evaluation with the VA department of education. If she showed signs of needing physical, occupational, or speech therapy, the state will provide it for free until she is school age. Well, I think the evaluator thought I was crazy for bringing her in (which is a good thing) she said she looked great and didn't even complete all of the tests because she was scoring in or above the normal range for a three year old on everything!

The big test of late was an MRI earlier this week. The neurologist that we have been seeing at children's national requested that she have a repeat MRI...she just wanted to confirm the location of the stroke. It was a long day, but Ellie (and Ethan too) was such a trooper! Nana came back home with us from NJ to help which was wonderful! I was able to stay with Ellie until they sedated her. That was the hardest part, the test wasn't until 12:30pm and she couldn't have anything to eat all morning due to the anesthesia! It is very hard to reason with a three year old why she can't eat. She definately got her Chick fil a for dinner afterwards!

Other updates:

Ethan is not only crawling everywhere, but he is pulling himself up to stand! He did it once last week at Nana's and has been pulling up on everything since we've been home - the coffee table is one of his favorites. He even took a few steps while holding on to the table. He'll be off and running soon! He is talking some. His words right now include:
Da - Tim
Ma Ma - Me, of course
Doh - He seems to say this whenever he sees Ellie so we think this is his word for her
Hot Dog- really, he does, I am trying to get it on tape
All done - and he can say it at the table when he is done eating too
Uh Oh - especially when he throws things from the high chair
And his favorite - NO! - I guess he hears this one too much!

Ellie has been getting so much of her personality back lately. Yesterday when we were on our way to James and Barb's we passed an abandoned farm. She was chatting away in her car seat. Here is our conversation:
E: "They have hair on them!"
Me: "What has hair on them baby?"
E: "The Hilos have hair on them"
Oh, the silos have ivy growing on them - of course "The Hilos have hair on them!"

Tim taught her to sing "Yankee Doodle" while she washes her hands to make sure she takes her time and doesn't just splash them in the water. Well, when we visited the mall today she had to make a stop in her favorite ladies room - they have a tiny potty that she says is just the right size for her. Well, after she took care of business she ran over to the tiny sink and was all excited to wash her hands and started singing "Yankee Doodle" for the first time with out being asked! That's my patriotic girl! She loves her "America Flags" too.