Life With Jack, Kate and Mallory

What do you do when your brother steals your heels?

2012-01-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

Merry Merry Christmas!

2011-12-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas spent in Kansas City with my brother, Ryan, his wife, Rachel and their two kiddos, Caroline (4) and Max (2). Tom's parents joined us on Christmas Day for dinner...an amazing prime rib that Ryan prepared. We really missed the rest of the family but doubt they had much time to miss us as they were busy gallivanting across England and France..rough.
We had a great time decorating Giant Gingerbread Men (thanks Molly!), making beaded candy canes, decorating sugar cookies to leave out for Santa, and lots of playing.
Here are some pictures of our week...

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday...here's to a fantastic new year!

"Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer"

2011-12-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

Mallory has really gotten into the spirit of the season and has become quite the little dancer.

2011-11-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

We are a household of superheros this season.... hoping we stay super healthy through the winter months!

Mallory eating pretzels...she mostly just mashes them up and spits them out just in time to put the goo in her hair..it is just lovely! We did have a nutrition appointment yesterday and she gained weight! Up to 16 lbs. 6.5 oz., that is over a pound in a month! Finally!

Kate at Johnson Farms hiding in the ship...I love the face she is giving my mom; it is so her.

Jack at Johnson Farms, he looks so old in this photo!

The three super heros...Spiderman, Wonder Woman and Supergirl.

So True!!!!

2011-09-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

I just got an email from a friend with a link to a "diary" of 3 minutes in the mind of a two year old. I am still laughing....it's funny cause it is sooo true!

Each of these “emotions” lasts about 3 seconds.
I wanna play with Daddy’s phone.
I wanna put on Mommy’s shoes.
GET MOMMY’S SHOES OFF MY FEET NOW!
I wanna open and close the thermostat.
I wanna turn on and off the light on the microwave.
Is there anyone here with a phone I haven’t played with yet?
I NEED TO PUSH SOME GODDAMN BUTTONS.
I wanna pick up the cat by its head.
I wanna throw all the toothbrushes in the sink.
HOLY SHIT I’M STARVING.
CHEDDAR BUNNIES.
I HATE FRUIT.
I want out of my chair.
I wanna play with the iPad.
I wanna go outside. No, I wanna turn the heat on.
I wanna take my pants off.
I don’t like the shirt I’m wearing.
I wanna play with Mommy’s phone.
I NEED TO PUSH MORE BUTTONS NOW.
I’m thirsty.
No, not for that.
Yes, perfect, juicebox. I’m gonna squeeze this damn thing all over myself.
Where’s Daddy?
Where’s the cat?
Where’s Mommy?.
SERIOUSLY WHERE’S MOMMY!?
Oh my God I think Mommy left forever.
Ok, there’s mommy. I want to play with her phone
Hungry again. Never mind
I just remembered not liking these pants. Get them off.
STOP TAKING OFF MY PANTS!
Wow, I’m starving. I want peas but I don’t know how to tell anyone.
Finally, peas. I like throwing these.
WHY DO I STILL HAVE THESE PANTS ON?
Oh look, a new person. I wonder if they have a phone.
I’m tired.
I’M NOT TIRED!
I wanna go for a walk but I don’t wanna go outside.
No, not inside either!
I need to push some buttons right now.
I hate this diaper.
My eyes itch.
WOW! Is this my toe?
STOP TRYING TO TAKE MY PANTS OFF!
I hate these pants.
This shirt itches.
I’m tired.
Stop asking me if I’m tired.
Where’s that toy that goes beep.
I wanna take a bath in my clothes.
Put on my favorite song.
Where’s the cat?
What is UP with my shirt?
Did I just hear a dog bark?
YOU DID NOT JUST TRY TO TAKE OFF MY SHIRT AGAIN!
I wanna see a dog.
No, not OUTSIDE! I wanna see a dog inside.
Is my penis still there? Good.
I peed.
I’m bored.
Repeat.

http://jasongood.net/365/2011/08/day-215-approximately-3-minutes-inside-the-head-of-my-2-year-old/

Tired?!

Summer...where did it go?!

2011-09-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy summer. Lots going on in our household...Kate is walking, Mallory is crawling and Jack is climbing and jumping everything! To keep this house picked up would be a miracle...but I wouldn't have it any other way (except maybe if I had a maid service twice a week)! Here are some photos to sum up the wonderful times we had these past few months...

Jack spent hours playing and jumping in his pool on our deck...really surprised he didn't end up with any stitches from his daredevil tactics.

Kate is more of a lounger when it comes to pool time...my kind of girl! I'll take a different kind of bottle though...

Jack got a sprinkler game for his birthday and Tom had a good time running through it with all three kiddos.

Kate loves to pull out all, and I mean ALL of the contents in the cabinets...remember my talk of a messy house?..

Water tables are good for hours of entertainment!

Jack playing with his buddy Preston!

Mallory enjoying the lovely weather!

More to come.....FALL!!!!

All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy....

2011-05-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

Jack at 6 Months

Opening presents on his 3rd Birthday!

Well I am way behind in posting Jack's big birthday! On May 10th this wonderful boy turned 3! Amazing and incredible to think of the last three years as he has grown and become such a fun and compassionate kid. I started the tradition of writing a little note on my kids birthdays, so here it goes:

Jack,
Wow! 3 years have really flown by...how is it that you are already this little, super inquisitive little boy? You are a wonder and I can actually see you learning new things everyday, it's an amazing thing to witness! What a year you have had, and you have taken it in stride. I was worried about you and how you would adjust to having two little sisters to share the spotlight. No worries! You adjusted without any stumbles, it was as if you never realized there was a time without them. I love watching you play with Kate (although I may be wincing at your body slams) and showing her how to play with legos, climb stairs/furniture...you get such a kick out of her following you, I love it! I get to see a softer side when you interact with Mallory. You encourage her and get so excited when she accomplishes something new. "Hey MOM! Mallory is rolling over! Yah Mallory!!" You are such an amazing little boy! I think the most amazing thing about watching you over this last year is how your relationships are developing; with your sisters and your friends. Can't wait to see what next year will bring!
Thank you for improving my patience!
Love you,
Mommy

We had a wonderful weekend filled with activities. My brother Ryan and his family drove in from Ohio on Friday, May 13 (Ryan's birthday) and we all, sans kids, went out to celebrate Ryan and Sean's (May 10) birthdays. Saturday was a day of BBQ/Friends/Family at Julie's house and Sunday was Jack's big Jump Party at Monkey Bizness. Jack has been talking about this party for about a month. We had a great turn out and I believe everyone had a blast! I think I am still recovering!

Here are some pictures from the party day. I took about a hundred photos and was unable to get one of Jack standing still...there is a super cute photo of Ms. Ellen Lund, she needs to teach Jack how to pose!

525,600 Minutes

2011-04-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we survived our first year as a family of five. I remember reading somewhere that your first year as a parent is definitely one of survival, and I remember thinking this was ridiculous at Jack's first birthday party. Sure there were major changes with Jack, least of which was the excessive lack of sleep but I feel Tom and I breezed through that first year. Who are these people that can't handle one little child?! Whoa...someone heard me and boy was I put in my place.
I have found myself responding to those who are amazed that the girls are already a year with one phrase..."it's been a LONG year." I do not mean for this to sound depressing or melancholic, it just simply is how I feel. We expanded our family from three to five, moved twice, three hospital stays since December, surgery and about five million Doctor appointments. So I feel entitled to feel a little relieved that we made it...intact.
This last year has truly been one of survival. It has had ups and downs, surprises around every bend. I have learned things about myself that I never knew before this year. I am sure these beautiful girls will continue to teach me about love and life and all of it's surprises.

I have a friend who writes letters on her kiddos birthday and I really like the sentiment. Cheesy?, For sure, but I am feeling particularly sentimental tonight...so here it goes:

Kate,
On the eve of your first birthday I am amazed and totally in love with you. You were so eager to come into our lives, five weeks early! You brighten my day, every day. As I was looking through old photos I came across ones with you and Mallory in the NICU, and I was amazed to realize that I had forgotton you came to us bruised and battered. You were born with a black eye and a large bruise across the bridge of your nose. You were so small (4lbs 7oz.) and to be perfectly honest you were the one we worried about the most. A full year later and you are so full of spunk! Your giggle is infectious and your smile so warming to the soul. I am delighted to be your mother and can't wait to see what you'll do next. Happy Birthday!
I love you beautiful girl!

Mallory,
On the eve of your first birthday I can say you have changed me for the better. You are so very special and wonderful. You have a soft nature that grabs the love of everyone you meet. You are so strong; stronger than anyone I have ever met. Life is going to hand you some curves and I want you to know that I will always be behind you, your biggest supporter. I feel truly blessed to have been chosen to be your mother. You have made me a better person, thank you.
I love you beautiful girl!

Wow...what will the next year bring us? I wish for health, love and happiness! I look forward to keeping you all up-to-date on our year to come.

Overwhelmed.

2011-02-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

Overwhelmed is putting it lightly...lots to deal with, lots to catch up on, and lots of pictures to post. Below are 19 photos, and it was hard to keep it to less than 50! Life is slowing down a bit and I like it that way. For some reason blogspot is downloading my photos in draft form as computer language and not actual photos, so I apologize for the lack of description for each photo but I can't seem to find the patience right now to sort through the language. The pictures are not in order, again I apologize. So here you go:

(the post below was written over the last couple of months, I have updated some)

Wow...well since last I signed in lots, and I mean L.O.T.S. have happened! Kate and Mallory are now 11 months old! How in the world did that happen?! Jack is learning about five hundred new things a day...currently he is insisting on calling Daddy "Tom". I get a huge kick out of it every time. Kate is crawling everywhere and has mastered getting up and cruising around..unfortunately she has not figured out how to get down by herself, so after being very proud of herself when she stands up the excitement is short lived as she starts whining to be helped down. Mallory is now rolling both ways and is really getting better at being a supported sitter. She has had a couple of stays at Children's Mercy. The long story short version is that she is a silent aspirator (two aspiration pneumonias in one month), has delayed gastric emptying, acid reflux, and urinary reflux...fun times. She has been a super trooper through all of the tests, needle sticks and overall sickness. After her last aspiration pneumonia we stopped offering her anything oral, all feeds are via a gastric tube. Amazingly enough, she doesn't seem to mind not having the oral feeds. I find that somewhat sad but know it would be worse if she screamed for a bottle.

We decided to get a GT/Fundo which is a port in her abdomen that we feed her through and the fundoplication is a surgery that will prevent her from refluxing and throwing up..a super bonus! Her stomach is still somewhat sore and I am hoping the healing is almost complete.

Well, I think I am done with the over-the-top catch up...hope you aren't too overwhelmed with the large amount of pictures and content..I will (I WILL!) not let it get this out of hand again!

Seussland

2010-11-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween we went with a theme for what everyone dressed up like. I figure there will be a time soon enough when everyone will want to really choose what they dress up as...and Tom and I will be unable to convince them otherwise. We had a really nice evening with an initial stop off at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Then onto the Leach's house to celebrate our 19th Anniversary with them. Julie and I were in grade school when we trick or treated at their house and Jane asked if anyone in our group babysat...the rest is history!

October

2010-10-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

October has been a super busy month so far and it shows no signs of slowing down! We visited Johnson Farms Pumpkin Patch where Jack picked out everyone's pumpkins. He now likes to tell everyone he sees that his pumpkins are outside. We also went to Louisburg Cider Mill and enjoyed cider donuts and apples. Jack and Preston both enjoyed eating the apples and jumping around on the hay bales.

Kate asleep in her swing cuddling her doll.

Mallory looking super cute and super blue eyed!

Jack being watched carefully by Preston on the good form and proper way to enjoy an apple. Jack "painting" the house.

Picking out pumpkins.

For those of you that have not been informed of the goings on, Mallory's genetic tests showed a microdeletion of chromosome 10. The follow up appointment with genetics did not give us much new information but did give us the chance to discuss the implications of this chromosomal abnormality. This finding is a reason for her hearing loss, small growth pattern and her developmental delay. We are now scheduled for a full cardiac work-up (November 9) and renal ultrasound (November 9). During those appointments we will have some blood drawn to check her calcium levels and PTH (parathyroid hormone) to determine if she has any deficiencies. On December 15th we have an appointment with an immunologist. We will see what these appointments yield; most likely there will be some abnormalities found with these visits but we are going to do initial testing and determine if follow-up care is indicated.

We are working our way through the systems that have shown some abnormalities in other chromosome 10 deletion children, the severity of which is a broad spectrum. Right now it seems to be a wait and see kind of approach with her developmental delays. There will for sure be some. The literature that is available is miniscule at best and only shows a snapshot view of this disorder. We have no research that is longitudinal and therefore have an even smaller predictor for the future. Scary.

Mallory is talking lots and is moving all over...she seems to be just a bit behind Kate in her movements. She is a super happy girl and LOVES to be held and talked to. Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers...we will keep you updated.

6 Months!

2010-10-05T04:34:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one week! Amazing! Well we are officially at the 1/2 year mark with these pumpkins and I think have all adjusted pretty well. Went to the Pediatrician today for 6 month check-ups which included immunizations and flu shots. After a few tears the girls acted like nothing traumatic had occurred; they definitely take after their big brother who has always done amazingly well with Dr. visits and shots. Kate: 12lbs 2.8oz (<3%) 24.5inches (10%) and Mallory: 9lbs 15.8oz(<3%) 23.5inches (<3%)

Overall the appointment went well, just planning on fortifying the girls breastmilk/formula.

Here are some cute photos of Jack playing at the park, mowing the grass with Tom and overall just being cute.

The girls are getting to be so fun and interactive. On that note I have been putting them in their Johnny Jump-ups and they love to bounce around. Yesterday they each fell asleep in the jumpers, Kate in the morning and Mallory in the afternoon....they really are gorgeous, no bias here!

Pink Ears!

2010-09-27T19:32:00.001-07:00

Well Mallory has received her pink hearing aids, and I must say they are super cute! It is amazing that at 5 1/2 months old she and Kate have such specific personalities...Kate is our tomboy of sorts, she L-O-V-E loves to be played with rough, to be thrown about elicits a huge smile and often lots of giggles. Mallory is more delicate and giggles with "softer" play...she is our princess, and as such the pink aids suit her perfectly.

The brand of hearing aids we got came with a gift for Mallory, a little otter/mouse-like stuffed animal that also has hearing aids. I hadn't thought much about these types of toys, but I do remember Cabbage Patch Kids having glasses; so why not hearing aids? I am now interested in looking for dolls that have the option to buy hearing aids...did you know that Build-a-Bear has this option? Pretty neat stuff.

Monday, September 20th was our genetics appointment for the girls, and although it was a fairly successful appointment I am disappointed to report that it has yielded about 10 additional appointments. We drew labs on Mallory and are looking to see if there is a gene mutation that is the cause of her hearing loss, the labs may take as long as a month to be completed. In the meantime she has a follow-up appointment with ophthalmology and has an appointment with Dermatology in a vascular malformations clinic to evaluate her hemangioma. Not sure I have mentioned before but she has this growth on her left shoulder that has continued to grow and is very vascular-looking. It is now the size of a ping pong ball and is very blue. The geneticist is wanting to get a closer look and make sure it is not growing into her spine and thus eventually effecting her range of motion. Sounds scary when I write it out but we are optimistic that this is nothing to worry about and it is, as our Pediatrician said, a simple hemangioma that will reabsorb on its own and leave no ill effects on Mallory.

We did not get any labs from Kate, and I think this is because there is not a chromosome/gene mutation that is thought to have caused her Microtia (is this right Molly?) The Dr. did mention that she thought Kate had some facial indications of a disorder known under an umbrella term as Ocular Aural Vertebral Spectrum Disorder. She felt that Kate has an assymetric facial composition, although slight, where her left side of her face is smaller. Her jaw, cheek bone and ear look smaller and because of this she is having her eyes checked. She will also be getting a scan of some sort (CT or MRI) of her cervical spine to see if she has any vertebral anomalies.

This is what is scheduled currently and I believe more appointments will be looked into once we get some answers from either the lab work or from radiographic studies. Wishing there was one test that gave us all of the answers.
The girls are developing on track. Kate continues to be very active and vocal, smiling all of the time. Mallory is also talking more and more and her smiles melt you whenever you are blessed to get one.

I'm trying, I promise!

2010-09-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I mentioned in the last post that I would be updating monthly...well now that that promise has been squashed I thought I'd finally post the girls 4 month photos with their 5 month ones. Everyone in the Nelson household is great! Jack is super fun and talking more and more each day...some words we even understand! Kate and Mallory were not gaining enough weight and at their 4 month appointment the Doctor told me that they were needing to put on at least 1/2 ounce per day...they had put on 2 ounces in 45 days..not good. Fast forward 18 days and a weight check showed them up 9 ounces! Mallory is 9lbs 7 oz. and Kate is 10lbs 13 oz. They look great! Both are talking ALL the time now. We have ordered Mallory's permanent hearing aids, they are light pink (so cute), hopefully they will be here soon. Kate smiles all of the time, she is super laid back and literally bursts into a huge smile every time you talk to her. Mallory is a little more difficult to get smiles from, she definitely makes you work for them, but totally worth all that hard work. Genetics appointments on the 20th, stayed tuned for info with that appointment.
4 month photo, Kate loves to hold Mallory's hand.
5 Month photos were difficult because Jack really wanted to be in EVERY photo...
He decided that everyone needed a hat, even Mallory who was passed out from our photo shoot.
Jack and I had a day of fun, just the two of us. We started our outing at Blue Chip Cookies for some ice cream, Jack was not appreciative of this stop as he does not like sweets much. Who is this kid? I mean really, a kid that refuses ice cream and cookies?! After our unsuccessful sweets stop we went to Jumpin Jax for some bouncing fun...Jack had a blast and ran around constantly for 2 hours! We had a great day and hope to repeat these outings often.
And here is an older photo. The Leawood fire department showed up to our new neighborhood pool party, and as you would guess it was the hit of the party for most of the kids. Jack was on cloud nine 'driving' the "big truck" (one of his new and understandable words), until a meltdown when he was asked to get out of the driver seat.

Hope you have all had a wonderful summer, talk to you next month?

3 Months!!

2010-07-13T06:24:00.000-07:00

I just realized I hadn't uploaded the girls three month photo with the last post. So here you go, the best of the lot...Tom literally took 30 photos trying to get both girls looking in the right direction and where neither was crying, a difficult task for sure! Doesn't Mallory look suspicious?

3 Months and 4th of July

2010-07-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

As I am writing this post the house is quiet as all kiddos are asleep. It's a funny thing, at the end of the day I am so looking forward to bedtimes, can't hardly wait in fact. Then as the house falls quiet I find myself "missing" my kiddos...I want them awake and interacting. I find the silence peaceful and depressing at the same time; it is a strange feeling to describe. I wonder if I did enough talking to them, playing with them through that day. I know I could always do more, talk more and enjoy them more at this stage in their lives....tomorrow is a new day filled with opportunity.

I have been super bad at keeping up with this blog but am trying to post at least once a month (an attainable goal I think). Due to that there are a lot of pictures and things to catch up on, it's amazing how much can happen in a month! The month of June was filled with trips to the pool, to Deanna Rose and the Zoo! These trips were large undertakings as I took all kiddos...and to think I use to think taking one kid was a lot of work!

The girls asleep at the pool, we swam for 1 1/2 hours and they never woke up... spent the whole time in their carseats! Dream babies I tell you!

Jack and Preston playing the cow bells at Deanna Rose

Jack has become quite the Lady's Man...here he is with Ms. Ellen Lund

Here Jack is with Ms. Ella at Village Fest on the 4th of July

A snack at the Zoo with Preston (don't they look like such big boys!)
Monkey See, Monkey Do
A visit to see baby Dane! Dane is only 3 weeks here and the girls are 2 months, this is going to be one tall boy!

Jack relaxing in his lounge chair

Here is Kate with her bone-conducting hearing aid. She loves wearing it and brightens up when we put it on her. She is developing at an astonishing speed and is babbling, grinning all the time and rolling over. She has such a loving nature and loves to be kissed on and talked to all the time. Infant and Toddler services came over today to evaluate the girls and Kate is actually hitting the milestones for 4 month olds! She absolutely amazed the therapists.

Mallory did very well with the evaluation as well but is definitely a little behind her sister. She is babbling and although she has not smiled yet I know she is so close! There are some concerns with her vision but we are going to see if she progresses over the next 4-6 weeks, as she is still having her milestone age adjusted to their due date, making them just over 2 months. Mallory has a very gentle nature and loves to be held. I can't wait until she gets her hearing aids (July 20th) and can hear everything. I am convinced this will speed up her development and she will catch up with Kate.
What a beauty!

Finally we have a family photo that includes all 5 of us thanks to Jack's school continually bugging us for one for Jack's Wall at school.

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe holiday. We will keep you updated and the next post will be from our new house!

2 and 2!

2010-06-05T06:18:00.001-07:00

The super sassy Ms. Kate after a long "photo session"

Lots of 2s going on at our house! Jack just turned 2 in May and is really taking to being 2; super sweet to temper tantrummy in the matter of 2 minutes. He has grown a little in the past six months and is now 24lbs. which is up to the 10%! These days Jack loves to be a big helper to his sisters and is CONSTANTLY giving the girls kisses and hugs, bringing them every pacifier he can find (everyone needs six pacifiers!) and every burp cloth as well. Although we can't understand him much of the time he is really talking a lot! Mostly he is saying "Outside" over and over again. He is a super sweet little boy who is adventurous and has a definite mischievous side.
The girls had their 2 month check-up and are doing great! Kate is 7lbs 12ounces and Mallory is 7lbs 4ounces, both are less than 3%, but that is to be expected since their adjusted age is less than 1 month old. Kate got her bone conducting hearing aid on Thursday. When we put it on her and she heard vibrations on her left side the look on her face was priceless...she was enthralled! Unfortunately, she was only able to wear it for a short time, her head stability is not perfect and everytime her head bobbed to the left she got terrible feedback/whistling. We will have her wear it 10-15 minutes each day and gradually increase the time as she becomes stronger. After having witnessed Kate's first moments hearing on her left side I am increasingly excited to have Mallory fitted with her aids. I received a emails from a couple of friends with a link to a Good Morning America segment where an 8 month old little boy had cochlear implants. The cameras were filming when they were turned on and he heard his mother's voice for the first time, truly amazing. Pretty incredible times we are living in! I hope to keep up on blogging better than I have been but times are busy!
Jack looking oh so cool!

This stroller is simply amazing...really not that difficult to maneuver and everyone is comfy!

You want to know how hard it is to get two babies to look at the camera at the same time? This is as good as it gets...Kate posing and Mallory looking scared!

Jack's Sisters!

2010-05-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Hello All,
Well as most all of you know we have had lots going on in the Nelson household...never a dull moment! I haven't had much time to catch up with everyone in the past five weeks but am ever so grateful for all of the support and prayers that you have sent our way.

Here is a quick update of all that is going on:

As most all of you know Kate was born with aural atresia and microtia of the left ear which basically means she did not have a developed left ear. There is a small 'ruffle' of skin where the ear would be, there is no true opening to the inner ear so she has no hearing in that ear. We got a CT scan when she was two weeks old and basically found out that she is too small to really get a good look inside to see if the inner ear is developed. We are looking at plastic surgery in the future to reconstruct her ear, but that is at least 5 years away. If there was any reconstruction considered of the canal that would occur after the plastic surgery. Until then we are getting fitted for a bone conducting hearing aid to help stimulate that side and help her brain make those vital connections between sound and localization. Kate's right ear passed with perfect hearing! The doctors do not think this will effect her language development and with some therapy will develop just like all other children with normal hearing.

Mallory failed her hearing screening tests in the NICU so follow-up was recommended. Our first experience with follow-up left us devestated as the ENT told us that Mallory was most likely completely deaf. (Brings tears to my eyes just writing that). Thankfully we sought out another follow-up with Children's Mercy where we got a two hour ABR (hearing exam) that told us she has mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally. She can hear low tones and as pitch increases she has a progressive hearing loss. We are having ANOTHER ABR in five weeks to corroborate those findings and at that time will fit her for right and left over the ear hearing aids. With the amplification of the aids Mallory should be able to hear perfectly...we are not sure if her hearing will progress to more significant hearing loss but we were happy with the information we received and are taking it one step at a time.

All in all we have two beautiful baby girls that are a pure joy to love and care for, looking so forward to learning their individual personalities! They are super strong and healthy in every other way.

I will keep you all updated as I learn more about our futures and where we are headed. Again thank you all for your thoughts, I love you all!

Erin

P.S. Mallory is on the left and Kate is on the right

Indoor Play and More!

2010-03-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

Playing at home gets old, for me and for Jack. We have had a great time at some indoor play places around town, and believe it or not these facilities have not cost us an arm or a leg!

Jumpin' Jack's is an indoor inflatable play area that is AWESOME! Here are a few pics of Jack figuring out how to climb to the top of the slides (and a pic of the traffic jam he created). Parents are also allowed to climb up these obstacles and participate with the kiddos! I somehow failed to capture a picture of Tom at the top of the slide with Jack! Not to worry, I am fairly confident that we will return.

This last photo is at the Mission Center Gymnasium that has open play through the winter. I think Jack has figured out that he is challenged in the height arena and he figured out, all by himself I might add, that he will need help. He walked over to the foam blocks, grabbed one to assist him in his dunking attempts....he still failed to make a basket, but the effort was definitely there!

February

2010-02-24T11:32:00.000-08:00

Jack has recently decided that he is a reader. He will either grab a book or magazine and climb up into the large chair and start flipping through pages. His new favorite is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition...seriously. I know Tom just loves this!
I am not sure why or how, but if Jack falls asleep in the car close to naptime he will not nap at all when we get home. This creates quite the obstacle when we meet others for lunch. Having Julie in the car to try and assist his staying awake is essential, although does not always yield success.

And finally, here is a video of Jack's new daredevil antics....he has decided to start jumping, or at least attempt, off of stairs. We have had some ouchies, but mostly just giggles of delight at his progress!

Long Absence!

2010-02-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I have really, REALLY slacked on the updates. We are in the midst of trying to sell our house and all energy has been focused on projects...and let me tell you there is not much energy to be spoken of! Jack is doing fabulous...some brief moments of the terrible twos to come, but overall is doing well. Here are a couple of videos from my new flip video showing what crazy stuff is going on around our house!

Fashion Sense?

2009-12-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

So Jack has decided that like his daddy, he loves hats....if he can get his hands on one it is surely to stay on his head. These are pictures from last week when he put on his hat, grabbed one of my purses and my keys and decided he was leaving for the day. Not so sure he has any fashion sense though, lets see if his sisters will be able to help him with that one!

On another note, here is one picture of Jack on a ride along tractor at the Mission Community Center. They have open play Tuesday-Thursday 9:30-11:30 for $2 a child. There are a million toys, bouncy houses and balls, etc... They are a wonderful place to go during this winter season for the kiddos to run off some energy; I highly recommend taking your children. Jack really enjoyed himself and was so tired on the way home that he promptly fell asleep before we had left the parking lot!

Cluck Cluck!

2009-11-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

For Halloween Jack was a chicken! He really enjoyed the extra stuffing around his waist and kept waving his arms like a chicken, too cute!

Look Ma! No Hands!

2009-10-29T08:50:00.001-07:00

I am beginning to think the toys Jack has to play with are a bit too young for him these days, he has however found a way to make them fun anyway! This was last night right before bedtime. I think his short stature has given him amazing balance as his center of gravity is lower.

Also, here is a picture of Jack running at the pumpkin patch from a couple of weeks ago.

Sunny October Day!

2009-10-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

Had a big Sunday and started off with a trip to the pumpkin patch with Preston and Marie! Tried really hard to get a photo of the boys together but they are just too busy, I think Marie got one eventually. Jack loved looking at all of the pumpkin sizes and really enjoyed being a GIANT walking all over the baby pumkins. Later that same day we met up with Marie and Preston again for their neighborhood Oktoberfest. Lots of fun, food and music were enjoyed. This neat park has a tunnel that the boys find super entertaining, and I love the photos of that tunnel. Even got this great video of Jack dancing to the German band while eating his hotdog (sorry but it is sideways...I will one day figure out how to change that on this computer).

I'm a big boy now!

2009-09-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

Jack and I went to the park yesterday and he finally is no longer afraid of the slide. Before this lovely milestone Jack would fall backward and hit the back of his head on the slide and the fun would result in tears. He would look at me like I was torturing him and why or why would I think this was a fun thing to do?! He just couldn't quite figure out that he needed to hold himself up in order to enjoy the ride down. Now that he has figured that out he did a cycle of about 15 times climbing the stairs and going down the slide and instantly running back to the stairs to do it again and again. Lots of fun!

And here is a photo of the view from Julie and my bedroom in Mexico....

2009-08-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Sick and jittery

2009-08-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well our household has been a hotbed of illness over the last couple of weeks. Jack got sick on Friday at daycare and I took him to the Dr. on Saturday. He has an ear infection and an upper respiratory infection. Well he got worse over the weekend and we went in to the Dr. today and ended up with Albuterol treatments every 2-4 hours for the next few days! Super fun!

Zoo!

2009-08-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Jack had a busy week filled with his 15 month check-up, painting with Preston and going to the zoo. His check-up went well, he survived the three shots with a smile (almost), and is overall a super healthy and happy boy. His weight did not change much from his one year check-up, still in the 3% at 19lbs 12.2oz, but has gained a little height, now in the 12% at 29 3/4inches.

Jack loved the zoo and was in total awe when we went to the petting farm area where he fed the sheep. On our way out of Africa he wanted to walk the entire (and I mean ENTIRE) way out, which those of you who know the Kansas City Zoo know that is a very long way. After three hours of exploring the animal habitats we retired to our air-conditioned car and sang the whole way home. Surprisingly he did not fall asleep and was in a great mood. Bedtime did arrive a little early at 6:15pm, and he slept until 7:30 the next morning!

Big Boy!

2009-08-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

Christina took this photo of Jack at the pool last week. Doesn't he look like such a big boy?!

Wipes! Ohhhhh, Ahhhhh

2009-07-27T18:04:00.001-07:00

Remember how our parents use to tell us stories about how despite all the amazing toys we had as children we never had more fun than with a box? Well, Jack loves, (and I mean LOVES) to play with a number of not-so-fun things including: wipes, diapers, pens, jars, tupperware and sunglasses. Here are some photos of him playing with the wipes....
I guess the older we get the more we all realize how right our parents are!

Dancing!

2009-07-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

Jack is quite the dancer when Noggin plays music, not sure whether he has rhythm or not. Let's all hope he did not inherit his father's moves.

I'm crafty!

2009-07-06T18:50:00.001-07:00

We went over to Preston's house today for some craft time. First, Jack and I hit Micheals for the essentials. While we were walking through the aisles I came across so many fun projects for the future...we are going to be having sooo much fun! Here are a few pics of Jack making a painting for Grandma Nelson's birthday!Here is a before photo in his super fabulous smock...an old tee of Mrs. Marie Hooker's....thanks Marie!

Loose Park Water Spray Park

2009-07-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

Went out to spend some time in the sun on this beautiful Kansas City day! Met JWP and Milo and Emily and Nicola at Loose Park and let Jack run wild! He really enjoyed watching all of the other kiddos scream and shout as they ran through the water spouts. After an hour or so Jack got the courage up to get closer to the water. I think he may be a daredevil in the making.

Cheese!

2009-06-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jack is continuing to explore the growing options of eating and greatly enjoying the surprises! Here he is eating his new favorite, grilled cheese!

Arggg!

2009-06-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Jack is officially a pirate! For his birthday my Fake Mom, Jane, bought Jack an outfit that although super cute won't fit him until he is maybe 4. So, I took the outfit back to the boutique she got it from to exchange for a smaller size. Well, Jane had bought the smallest size available so I was faced with picking another outfit. I got him a pirate outfit! The pants are frayed at the ends with a patch over the knee, super cute!
And I couldn't help but put on his red Arggggyly socks!

Times, they are a changin'...

2009-05-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

My parents have just left town after a wonderful (albeit too short) visit to KC. Jack had another 1st birthday party while they were in town and my oh my did he get some great new toys! My brother David and his wife Michiyo bought Jack a classic, The Cozy Coupe! Jack thinks this is the best thing ever and giggles everytime he gets into his wheels. Apparently the car should have usable doors on both sides though as he often attempts to get out of the car through the passenger side window!

In another giant milestone, Jack has begun to walk! He took his first unaided steps on Wednesday the 27th and although I did not get those first ones on film I did capture a few today! Sorry that the video I have is sideways but I can't figure out how to flip it other than to take a new video.

So unbelievable that he is starting walk, still makes my stomach flip when he does it and my eyes tear up! What can I say, I am my father's daughter.

1st Birthday!

2009-05-11T09:39:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe that Jack is already a toddler! One year old, unbelievable!
We had a wonderful birthday/Mother's Day celebration. Dinner with family, cake a presents followed and what a great experience that was, for us and Jack. Anytime anyone mentions a first birthday my thoughts always move to the cake and all the questions that follow. Did he like the cake? Did he cry? Dig in? Well I was extremely curious as to how Jack would respond. He did like it, but it took a little while, I think as long as it took for the sugar high to kick in! I was most amazed by how much he did not like having icing on his hands. After the cake-eating experience Jack got a bubble bath, which he always enjoys. All in all it was a wonderful day.

Today was Jack's one year check-up with lab work and shots. He did really well and only cried for a minute or two. His percentages have not moved much, but are as follows:
Wt: 19lbs (3%)
Ht: 28inches (5%)
HC: 45%

So we still have a short, skinny kid but head is not quite as big!

Here are a few photos with Jack's big first birthday gift, isn't it too cute!

Soul Cleansing and Cerveza Drinking!

2009-05-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday was the annual Lund Cinco de Mayo Party! This was the first year that I have been able to attend, but not my first Lund House Party. What a difference a year makes! I remember parties starting at 8pm and going well into the wee hours of the night (or is that the wee hours of the morning?). This party was kid-friendly with many children running about and having a great time with the party favors Molly and Erik provided; sombreros and marachas! The party was wonderful with great food, drinks and even better company! The Lund's are amazing hosts and even better chefs! Jack enjoyed his first guacomole and tortillas! Here he is with Ellen Lund, what a stinkin' cutie!

The other part of my weekend was spent scrubbing and reorgainizing my house. I went to Target and picked up some new cleaning supplies. I know it is weird but I LOVE cleaning supplies, and it really got me motivated. Tom went out of town to New Orleans for Jazz Fest and while he was enjoying the weather and music I have had 5 days of cleaning, and it has been wonderful! I have been busy cleaning, and I mean DEEP cleaning the house like it has never seen before. Baseboards, crown molding, doors... music blaring loudly through the house as I work on my hands and knees scouring and singing at the top of my lungs; oh what the neighbors must think! Whatever the reason, I feel so wonderful after a day spent cleaning my house. There is a definite connection for me between being organized/clean and feeling totally at peace. I sleep better, I dream more vividly and I am a much happier person to be around. Maybe, just maybe I should make a habit of it....

YUM YUM!!

2009-04-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

Went to Julie's for dinner on Sunday night and boy were we all in for quite the treat! Julie decided to make a wonderful spread of Chicken Scallopini with a Cream Saffron Sauce, Orzo stuffed peppers, Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus and Sun-dried tomato and garlic corn muffins! The meal was amazing and the company even better!

2009-04-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a longer post because I have been a slacker and not posted anything is quite some time...sorry. Well, Jack is 11 months old now and really a whole lot of fun! He loves to bang on any and all surfaces, loves to read books (especially an Elmo book that we have to hide after awhile or he would have us read it 500 times in a row!), and is just about the greatest little boy ever! On Easter Julie asked us if we would like to go to the Royals game with her and Sean. She had been given tickets by our friend Courtney! I have never felt like such a rock star. The seats were in the Diamond Club level and came with front door parking (Thanks Courtney!). The game was a lot of fun and the Royals won over the Yankees!

Later in the week we went on a trip to DC and got to see Tom's aunts and took in some of the sites as well. Jack did well on his first plane trip, crying for the first 10-15minutes of both flights before settling into one of our chests and sleeping the majority of the trips. I will say that I have a whole new appreciation for parents flying with crying children; there is a special place in heaven for them. One of Tom's coworkers gave him some advice prior to our trip, "The first thing you should do when you get on the plane is get a stiff drink!" Also, it is interesting how your timing changes when traveling with a baby. Jack woke up on the way home and we were trying to keep him happy by giving him a toddlers version of Cheese Puffs. Towards the end Tom looked at me and said, "We are ten Cheese Puffs away from landing." Gotta love it!

Here is a photo of Tom, Jack and Me at lunch with Tom's Aunt Kathie and Uncle Ken Jarva and Aunt Kathie and Uncle Scott.
Here are some photos of Jack really enjoying the giant bed at the Marriott that we stayed at in Maryland.
With Jack's new bathtub he got a Frog Pod. This is cool bathroom staple that scoops up all of the bath toys and is stored on the wall. Jack really enjoyed the box more than the toy, some things never change!
Here Jack is playing with his best friend Preston Hooker. Jack loves to go to Preston's house and play with all of his toys! These boys are just too cute when they get together!

And last, but certainly not least here are some 11 month photos! Unfortunately, Jack just was not feeling it on his 11 month birthday so these are not his greatest photos.
Whew! Thanks for reading about our month!

Goodbye Sink!

2009-04-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

So the downstairs bathroom is 95% completed...which means Jack got to take a bath in the bathtub! He was so excited that he "sang" the whole time! Our bathtime in the sink usually lasted 5-10 minutes; in and out with no playtime, but now we can look forward to playing while getting clean! Of course Tom had a great time squirting Jack in the face with some of his toys.... good thing we have a good-natured baby.

Cruisin'

2009-04-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me that just a few months ago Jack was just beginning to crawl and now he is ALL over the place! Tom went to Toys 'R' Us and bought him a few things, I wonder if Tom has more fun at the toy store than any other little kid... wait a minute, I know he has more fun! He now loves to cruise and here is a video of him with his new toy.

First Haircut

2009-03-23T12:07:00.001-07:00

So I debated, for quite some time, whether or not to cut Jack's hair. With this debate there have been multiple options.. A. I try and cut it without cutting his ear off B. Make an appointment with Sheer Madness C. Let Tom cut his hair and run the risk of having a 10 month old son with a mullet or D. Let it grow long ala Kate Hudson's son. Well I chose B. and today we had that appointment. Jack did an AMAZING job! He love sitting in the car and surprisingly the vibration from the razor was his favorite, he held perfectly still. Now that the appointment is over I am not sure if I made the right decision. I loved the salon, but now he looks like such a big boy, maybe I shouldn't have had them cut so much off. As Tom always tells me, "It's only hair, it will grow back."

A Baby Divided!

2009-03-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

Funny how I look at all of my friends posts and there is their sweet and beautiful baby dressed to perfection in KU colors, and often sporting a wonderful bird! Everytime I try to dress Jack in these magical colors Tom insists on calling him names...so today we dressed in a combo...isn't that what marriage is all about, compromise? A BIG yahoooo for the boys in Lawrence and Columbia for their wins today...gotta love March Madness! (Thanks Aunt Marie for the outfit!)

Double Digits!

2009-03-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here I am just chillin' with my Uncle Sean, we're cool 'cause we share a birthday...yo!
Getting monthly pictures of Jack sitting is getting more difficult, so we will try standing now!

Have Baby, Will Travel!

2009-02-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

Riding the "lift" to the top of the tubing trails in Daddy's lap.

Well we have had our first official family trip...and survived! Tom, Jack and I drove to Colorado and spent the week in Steamboat! We met my brother, Ryan, and a great family friend, Julio, at in Colorado and had a fabulous time skiing and hanging out! Steamboat has a wonderful daycare on the mountain, in the gondola building that Jack stayed at for four days while the rest of us skied. The snow was wonderful, lots of powder! Jack also got his first experience tubing! He did well in the snow, but was not a fan of the cold air hitting his face as we sailed down the tubing runs. We figured out pretty quickly that he enjoyed the ride more if he was shielded in one of our chests for the ride.

It is truly amazing how much stuff you pack when going on a vacation with a little one. I am not sure how we would have survived had we flown. Between the pack n play, musical table, and high chair (among MANY other objects) the car was packed! Jack did wonderful on the trip to Colorado and only cried for 22 minutes total; yes, I did keep track. Unfortunately, the trip home was not wonderful. I think Jack cried for 5-6hours, almost constantly. He was not a happy camper, and neither was I. I am not sure when we will attempt a road trip again. Maybe when he is old enough to be entertained by DVDs!?

Nine Months and More!

2009-02-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

So we went to the Dr. for Jack's 9 month check-up. He weighs 16 lbs. 4.8 ounces which is in the 3%, he is 27 inches long which is the 10% and his head is 17.5 inches being in the 50%. So we have a short, skinny big-headed boy!

Here is Jack 'cruising', don't you wish everyone was that cute with a belly?

This is the look of a pathetic sick boy...all he wanted to do was lay in my arms and moan.
I know, I know! It has been way too long since I have posted anything. There are three reasons for the long wait...1. Jack has been sick with RSV and an ear infection, 2. I have had an ear infection and 3. I have been obsessed reading The Twilight Series and have not done anything since! (Really you should see my house..super dusty! Then again, maybe it is best you not come and see it!) Lots has happened in the three weeks since I have updated. Jack is now easily crawling ALL over and pulling himself up to any and everything!

Giggling

2009-01-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

There is nothing sweeter than the laugh of a baby!

A Senator no more!

2009-01-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when Aunt Julie is left alone with Jack! Doesn't he look like the kid from Jerry McGuire? Notice Norman waiting patiently for Jack to drop any food!

Crawling!

2009-01-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

Jack has been trying to crawl for some time now but has only mastered the backwards crawl...until this morning! Here is a small video of his progress! I am not sure if I am really excited or sad at the lose of our stationary play. Later this week I will be venturing out to Babies R Us to purchase a play yard gate.

Tom-The Constant Carpenter!

2009-01-19T19:02:00.000-08:00

This is our new project, the downstairs bathroom! We started the weekend with a giant hole in the wall as you can see...the hole has been filled with glass block and the plumbing is almost finished. Count down to the completed project...I'll keep you updated. Please keep your fingers crossed for a quick completion.
On a side note, our neighbor called me this evening to ask a crazy question..not the point of the story, but at the end of our conversation she asked if I was married to a constant carpenter because there was always new lumbar and demo crap all over the place. I am wondering if she feels my pain.

Snow Angel

2009-01-16T13:14:00.001-08:00

Woke up this morning with Snow! We were not aware that this was going to happen so it was quite the surprise. My Aunt Diane bought this snowsuit for Jack a while back and we haven't had a change to use it until now. The suit fits him perfectly, Jack was a little confused at why he couldn't move well and all Tom and I could say was, "I can't put my arms down!", a classic Christmas Story moment.

Standing!

2009-01-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

Last week I went to get Jack up from his morning nap and found him STANDING! I called for Tom to come upstairs to see this amazing feat. Jack was all smiles and just so proud of himself. I think this means we are going to have to start the baby-proofing soon!

Highlights

2009-01-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

Our happy Jack-O-Lantern
Mr. Debonaire

The cutest monkey ever! Don't you just want to squeeze those cheeks!?

Here are a few of our favorite Jack moments!

Jack's First Encounter with Santa

2009-01-02T13:37:00.000-08:00

I must admit, I was kind of hoping our first picture with Santa would be a classic one in which he would be screaming...however, Jack never met a stranger and he really enjoyed sitting on the big guys lap! We were able to take our own photos as the Oak Park Mall Santa's cheapest photo package was $30! Outrageous! Luckily I had my camera and Jack cooperated and we ended up with two great photos!

2009-01-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

2009-01-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

Well, between Julie pushing for this blog, and reading The Lunds blog I guess I will cave and join the club. We have had an amazing year! The first post on this blog (testing, testing, 1,2,3...) was 3 days after Jack was born, and now it is hard to believe he is 7 1/2 months old! Some amazing changes have occurred and he is doing new things everyday! Just today, as I went to get him up from his morning nap, he was STANDING in his crib! I couldn't believe it! He had this huge smile on his face, one of complete joy and accomplishment, it was priceless. So, I will try and keep this blog updated on his, and our families, goings on and we hope you visit to see what Jack will be doing next.

New Year!

2009-01-02T12:00:00.001-08:00

Well, 2008 is out and 2009 has arrived! I had intended on getting this blog up and running in May of 2008 - as you can tell, that just didn't happen. Erin will be taking over the blog to keep family and friends updated on the trials and tribulations of Jack's first year (I am sure she will give a brief overview of the first 7.5 months!) I will start by adding a picture from Jack's first professional photo shoot at the hospital; as you can imagine, he has changed significantly since then!

I hope everyone is doing well and that all will check back periodically for an update!

Julie

2008-05-13T07:21:00.000-07:00

Testing, Testing.....1,2,3?