Annaliese turns 3

Annaliese was telling me that it was her birthday and that she was 3 years old, but poor thing doesn't realize yet that her birthday is going to be overlooked by Christmas alot.  We celebrated Christmas with presents for the kids and then after that had a cake for Annaliese.  She loved the cake cause it was so cute and it was ice cream.

I tried to get her and Santanah together for a picture a few times but they each were doing their own thing all morning.  Kev managed to get Santanah to sit for a very short time with one of the musical snowmen, but she wasn't really going for it.  

Another Christmas down and another birthday celebrated for Annaliese.  

Avah's First Christmas

Avah got a special visit from Santa since she was going to be spending Christmas in the hospital.

This is definitely a good picture to tell how small she is compared to Santa's hand.  She's still doing good and is even getting fed breast milk every feeding and tolerating it.  That's a good sign.  Next Christmas she'll be sitting on Santa's lap!!

Little Avah

The day after I wrote my post Jessi went into the emergency room with contractions that could not be stopped and after a long painful day they did a c-section and baby Avah was born.  Her due date was February 25th so she was delivered at 27.4 weeks.  She weighed in at 2.9 lbs and 14.5 inches long.  Little Avah is very tiny and has a long road ahead of her.  She will be in the hospital until her February birthday unless she just goes crazy with doing all the things that will help her to develop. She will share her birthday with her daddy, who was born on 12/14/82.

This picture was right after she was born.

Then this picture was later in the afternoon the next day and
they had already taken out her breathing tube.
Which is a good sign, she is breathing on her own.

We will have to just wait and see day by day how she develops and how well she gains weight and can tolerate all the things that are going on with her.  She gave us a couple of big stretches and movements when we were talking to her which was so cute, so she is listening and doing her best.  

12-13-14

It's such an unusual and once in a life time date that I thought today was a good day to finally make a post.  I changed the background to match the season and here I am writing.......about what I'm not sure.  I have not posted since August, and that's just wrong.wrong. I've had alot of things happen since I last posted.

Sisser had gallbladder surgery.
She had been having these stomach pain issues for a while and then finally she just couldn't take it anymore and it got really bad.  She went to the emergency room and right away they knew it was her gallbladder and that she needed to have surgery.  We spent hours waiting for her to have surgery, but then the time came and she was feeling no pain.

This is a picture of her the day she went to the emergency room before
her surgery and then the day she was leaving.  Quite a bit of difference.

Santanah had her first birthday!!!

She was so cute, she didn't know what to do in this pretty little dress.  But then once we gave her her birthday cupcake, she knew it didn't matter what happened to her dress, it was all about the food.

We went camping.  
I was still off work to rehab my knee from my surgery, so Kev and I went up on the rim for about a week.   We got in some cool weather, some fishing and also a few hikes. I was really good about making sure I got my exercises in since I was going a whole week with no PT.

This is one of our favorite places to go hike.
It is an old logging road that is now closed off for animal preservation.
We have occasionally seen some elk back in here,
and it's also where we saw the bear a few years ago.   

I flew to New York.
I guess I would have to say the most exciting thing to happen while I was off was that I went to New York to see Janet's new apartment and to visit her and Diane.  It was so fun, I'm so glad I went.  When Dick, Janet, Diane and Mary drove to NY to move Janet I really felt like I missed out.  So this trip gave me a chance to see where she lives now and also to visit with Diane and see Sean & Lizzie.

I had a great time and we did some fun stuff.  We went down the shore for a few days, went into the city a couple of times, rode the subway, had dinner at Lizzie's restaurant, just all around fun.  Plus again I was not going to PT so I stayed on top of my exercises and walked and used the gym at Janet's apartment.  

World Trade Center

We were waiting for our subway after having a fun day/night in the city.
Jan wanted the practice on where to get on and off the subway.
It was my first time on the NY subway.  

We had just come from dinner at Lizzie's restaurant and what a sight,
the Empire State Building at night.  

Once I came home from NY it was almost time for me to go back to work so reality was starting to set back in.  My 3 month surgery vacation was coming to an end.  

Kev Geocaching

Kev hunts at the same time of year every year with a couple of guys he's been friends with since high school, Mark & Twig.    He hesitated going this year cause I was at home recouping from my knee surgery, but he had everyone checking on me and I told him I was fine and didn't want him to miss out.  He'd check in a few times a day with a call or text plus he'd send me a pic here and there.  He told me the hunting sucked so they were geocaching from time to time.

So he comes home and I'm talking about the whole geocaching thing and he says, yeah Barb, (who is Mark's wife) was questioning our caches.  And I said, why,  was she surprised you were doing more of that then hunting?  And he was like......you didn't notice that each cache is the same?  lol

I fell for it....I honestly thought they just kept finding them, but no they were just randomly taking pictures holding up the same thing.  I didn't even look to see what they found, they were so clever taking pictures in different places it really never came to mind that they were just screwing around. And Kev says, you really thought we found a cache in someone's boat?  And I told him I thought that was a little weird but still had no clue they were messing with me.  Bunch of jerks, but funny right?

Janet & New York

Remember a few months back when I talked about the whole thing with Kev putting in for a transfer? Well around the same time Janet had applied for a new job as well in New York.  First hers fell through and then ours fell through and so it was going to be that we all just continued to do what we were doing.

But then Janet got a call again about the New York job which was being the head of the Math Department at Manhattan University.  They wanted to know if she was still interested, and she said yes.  So now the time had come for her to pack up her entire house and load a truck of what she was going to take to her new apartment and be on her way.  She wasn't going to sell her house in Flagstaff but was going to rent it so it needed to be empty for whoever the new renters were going to be.  

Everyone had gone up to Flag for the few days before the move and was helping her pack and get stuff moving.  I had seen a few posts of Dick & Kerry & Pam being there, Barbara & Tommy, Mary & Diane, Nic & Beka......basically everyone but me & Kev.  And let me tell you I didn't like it, and for a couple of reasons.  It looked like everyone was having fun and I was missing out.  After a couple of days of them all working so hard Janet was no longer going to be living in Flagstaff and both Kev and I were going to miss spending time with her for days, sometimes weeks at a time.  And then I wasn't going to be seeing her before she left. It was all hitting me and I found myself just crying at random times through out those couple of days.  Finally on Sunday morning of the pack & move weekend, I couldn't take it.  I was crying again once I got up so Kev said let's just go up for the day. We can leave now and come back tonight, so we did.  

I was so glad I did.  I really couldn't do a whole lot of anything to help, I had just had my knee surgery 10 days before so I was still pretty sore and not moving too quick.  But I was there.  I was now part of the fun.....lol  Not sure if everyone doing all the work would have called it fun, but just being with everyone was for me.  I still did alot of crying here and there. Part of it was the fact that I just had surgery and was having that after surgery cry about everything going on, and another part was the fact that Jan was moving and I was going to miss her so much.  

But it was a great day.  We stayed til early evening and came home.  I was sad leaving but still so glad I went.  I was going to miss out on the road trip with Dick, Diane, Janet & Mary driving to New York but I knew that was something that I would never be comfortable with having my new knee put in so recently, but I was ok with it.  

Hello Pippy

Paul and Sarah got  a puppy.  Ever since Sarah has been here she kept saying she wanted a dog and Paul kept putting her off.  Then they found a rescue puppy and fell in love.  She is really a good dog. She doesn't jump up or bark or run around like crazy, she is just a sweet mellow puppy.   She did have a bad leg and off and on would hops around on three legs.  The vet tried a few different things, but nothing really seemed to help.  

Last week she had surgery on her leg and so far she's doing good, but they still need to see how she does after all the healing is done. The cone was to keep her from getting to where she had her surgery.  They had to put a metal splint in her back leg that she's been avoiding walking on, and then she got a pretty pink booty cast.  

Cousins

Last Sunday Mary invited everyone over for a brunch since Diane was in town.  I wasn't able to go because I wasn't up for it since it was only 2 days after I got out of the hospital.  Almost everyone was able to make it, plus a lot of the nieces and nephews that have kids brought them as well.  I saw a few pictures from the day and was bummed I missed seeing everyone but I thought I'd share this picture of the cousins.  

Then this picture they tried to get all the cousins with their spouses and kids.  There are still a few missing but the younger group is definitely growing.  

New Knee for Me

Last post said the countdown  was on and now my surgery has already come and gone.  It's four days after my surgery.  I now have my new knee.  

The surgery itself went well, at least that's what the doctor told Kev.  It was really just another surgery for him and only took about an hour.  The preparation took longer lol.  I got poked and prodded quite a bit before I went into the surgery.  The anesthesiologist had a really hard time getting my spinal block in.  She tried 3 times and then finally asked for the head of anesthesia to help her.  I remember it hurt at different times and I also remember  the nurse asking Kev if he was ok.  lol Alicia said he turned white as could be and had to sit down.  Me,  I just cried.  

Not the most flattering pictures, but it's all part of how my morning went.  My doctor came in and met Kev and Alicia.

And then I made him hold my hand while I told Alicia to take our picture.  I guess by now I am starting to feel pretty good.  Alicia said I started to tell everyone how I got a new haircut.  That I cut my hair last night and isn't it cute?  I got a new haircut.  I was laughing when she told me this cause I honestly could see myself doing this.  A lot of people say funny stuff when they have some good drugs in them. 

Once I got to my room, Alicia and Kev came and met me there.  

I was awake pretty much the rest of the day. I had to do some breathing treatments, some leg exercises, eat my liquid lunch and also get out of bed and go walk.  I couldn't believe they got me up just hours after my surgery and had me out in the hall doing a little stroll with a walker.  

Overall my surgery was a success.  Now the real work begins.  I have a lot of rehab to do.  In fact weeks and weeks of rehab.  But in the end it should all be worth it.  I'm looking forward to getting all the hard work in to get a much better joint then I had. 

Countdown is On

I am having my knee surgery in five days!!! I am counting the days for a couple reasons.  The main one is that I have been wanting to get this done for a while, like years, and it's not that I have been putting it off, but I finally got the approval of a doctor to do it.  Another reason is to just get it done and over with and then start working on getting it in shape.  I'm also really looking forward to not be hurting all the time especially after I do a lot of activity.  Now, it's only days away.  I have plans for the weekend to get everything ready.  A few weeks ago I got the bedroom downstairs set up.  I'll have to sleep in the bed down there cause I won't be able to climb the stairs to my bedroom upstairs plus our waterbed, yes we still have a waterbed, will be hard to get in and out of. I'll also get my own stuff in the bathroom down there instead of Kev having to figure out what I want or need.  Then I want to try and cook some food up so it will be a little easier for Kev to throw stuff together for himself or both of us depending on who wants what.  

I am anticipating being on a bending machine for a while when I first come home.  The doctor also said that they will have home health care come for the first two weeks to do physical therapy.  I will be spending a couple days in the hospital as well when I do have the surgery.  It's going to be a long, I'm sure painful, and hard working road to follow.  I'll be on leave from my job and so will Kev so if he doesn't get tired of me I'm sure he'll do a great job taking care of me.  If he does get tired of me, all he has to do is ignore that bell I plan on having next to my bed!!! 

After those first couple weeks I will have to go to PT 2-3 times per week. I'll be on crutches and not able to drive but all of that is only temporary.  Kev said to me tonight, "only two more days of work then you're off for two months.  It's not going to be worth all that pain, do you think?"  I kind of panicked for a few minutes. And was like...what,  do you think I shouldn't get it done?  Do you think I'm making a mistake?  I know it's been feeling pretty good lately but that's cause I'm hardly doing anything.  Should I do this or not???  And he said, I just mean it's going to be painful and it's harder then people think it is.  I know it's going to be painful and I know I'm going to have to work hard to get this to be better then it was before surgery and I know it's not going to be easy.  I've never thought I would get a new knee and be good to go in a couple weeks.  This is going to be a good 6 month process.  I think Kev has been reading up on it and realized all that goes on from surgery thru recovery and rehab.  It's not going to be like any of my other surgeries.  But it's ok, I'm ready and it's now just days away.

Anniversary Fun

We had an eventful Anniversary....with the grand babies.  Alicia picked up Annaliese and Santanah around 1:00 and brought them over to the house.  It was so fun hanging out with them.  We went swimming and played in "their" room and just had an all around good time.  Kev got a BBQ pizza for us plus a peanut butter cup pie for our 16 years of wedded bliss....lol 

It was funny cause we were sitting there and I got this weird text from my brother in law so this was the conversation that followed 

Funny right?  I read it out loud to Kev and Alicia as we sat and played with the girls and just laughed.  Thrones of passion....haha 

Anyway, a fun day, once we both got home from work.  Here's some pics:

I've had this horse since the kids were little and Annaliese can ride it great and she usually yells "yee haw" while she does.  

Santanah is so close to walking.  She can get up by herself and walk all along the couch and chairs and she'll walk with you but will not let go of that last finger she's holding on to. It will definitely be before her first birthday. (Aug 26th)

Alicia made these cute collage pics and then posted them on Facebook. 

Best Guy Ever

Kev has always been one of the kids with his games and pranks and his all around jokester attitude.  He is always trying to cause trouble or stir the pot and alot of times people don't know when he's telling the truth or not. 

But with all that fun comes so much love.  He is a really big romantic as well and I love that about him.  He never fails to remember the little things as well as all the important things. Tomorrow is our 16th Wedding Anniversary and today he sent me a text that said "Happy almost Anniversary".   So sweet.

3 Day Weekend

I'm loving  that there's an extra day off this week.  We even got to go in at 6:00 and then at noon said we could go home if we had 6 hours in.  And of all days we were getting pizza for our dept. Terri &  Deb went to pick up the pizza and found  out we could leave but everyone said they wanted to stay and eat.  It was fun.  It doesn't happen too often that we all eat together but I'm all about the getting together and making everyone happy, ok making me happy.  Cause I believe happy employees are more productive employees.  

It was definitely a nice start to a long weekend. And even staying after out six hours we still got to go home early and had yummy pizza.

Left work and ran to the Dr 's cause I had to drop off some paperwork for FMLA.  I have one more appt on Tuesday  and hopefully will get all my clearance papers done. After that, surgery will stay as scheduled if everything is approved.   After my appt Tuesday morning I will tell people at work,  only my boss Deb and Terri know right now.  I will be out for 6-8-10 weeks.  Not sure yet.  Kev is also going  to take time off to be here with me,  it will be here before I know it. 

Spent the 4th here at home.  The girls were supposed to come over and we were really looking forward to taking them in the pool, but they couldn't make it.  Disappointing but oh well.  Kev and I just hung out and swam for a few hours we read, played music and relaxed on some floating rafts.  It was really nice.  Tomorrow Kev has to work but we have a party to go to so the fun will continue,  Kev wants to have a BBQ & swim party before my surgery cause I won't be able to swim for a while so that may get thrown together in the next two weeks,  Sunday we will most likely do some more relaxing in the pool.  Love 3 day weekends!!

The Girls

Annaliese and Santanah are getting so big.  I think every time we see them something new is going on with them.  Here's some recent pictures of the two of them.  

Annaliese is talking a lot more and loves coming over to see her Nana and Papa. And Santanah is crawling and pulling herself up on everything.  It won't be long til she's walking.  It's so fun being grandparents, we just love it!!!