Happy Thanksgiving!

I am very thankful this year because this year I will be having Thanksgiving with my whole family (excluding my brother, he chose not to attend) something I have not be able to enjoy in many years. I haven't spent Thanksgiving with my parents for the past nine years, keep in mind they are at my brother's home (which is the same town where I live) but my brother does not invite me to his home to share in this holiday. My children miss out on being with their Grandparent's but have come to accept this. This year they will be able to spend the holiday not only with their Grandparent's but many aunts, uncles and cousins. It is always a fun time when we all gather together. I am very excited to be with my family. I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

All I want for Christmas is my two (three) front teeth....

When coming up the front step Monday afternoon Garrison fell on his face resulting in knocking his top three front teeth loose (baby teeth) and a scraped up chin. One tooth was completely hanging there and we had to pull it out last night, which was not an easy task. This tooth did not want to come out. I finally gave up on torturing my child. A few minutes later Garrison succeeding in getting the tooth out. Now the other one is pretty loose but I will let him mess with that one. I am hoping the third tooth will tighten up.

My baby is 7 today! Happy B-day Garrison!

It is hard to believe that my little guy is 7! He is very special to me (both of them are). But with Garrison it is a little different. You see, Garrison has Williams Syndrome. I knew from my 6 week ultrasound something was different. I thought from his profile he looked like he had Down Syndrome. Everyone told me I was crazy, but a mother knows. I felt the whole pregnancy that something wasn't right. At 16 weeks I had my triple screen and the Down Syndrome test came back negative. Everyone told me "see we told you". Ok.

Garrison came into the world on 11/16/2001 (ten days exactly after my mom had her stroke). After he was born I thought he looked like he had DS, the pediatrician on call told me I was crazy. Garrison didn't cry like the other babies in the nursery, he barely cried at all. But I loved him, he was so damn cute. My mom was still in the hospital and she was the first person I took Garrison to meet.

When I took Garrison to his 2 week check up his pediatrician listened to his heart and then told me he wanted to run some tests for DS. Thank God, finally someone believed me. Then he dropped another bomb, Garrison needed to see a Pediatric Cardiologist, WHAT?

So we went to Children's Hospital in Omaha, NE (wonderful hospital BTW). I was told by this Dr that he was 98% sure by just looking at Garrison he had WS. My first question was, "what is the life expectancy of WS?" He couldn't say. So I went home and looked up everything I could on WS, wrong thing to do. I cried. We continued to see the PC every 6 months and then the day came two years later when he told me Garrison would have to have open heart surgery. My husband was gone getting ready to deploy to Iraq. I met with the surgeon and I was told Garrison would need to surgery soon or he could die a sudden death. WTF!! I am glad my sister in law was with me, I was in no shape to drive.

My husband was able to come home the day before his unit left for Iraq. On Feburary 2, 2004 (Ground Hog Day) Garrison was scheduled for surgery. My sisters came down from Wisconsin for the surgery and I was really glad for the support. The hardest thing to do was to give my baby to the nurses and watch him go into the OR. Garrison came out of the surgery great, there are no guarantees he made need another surgery. Garrison was discharged on Feburary 6th and my husband left for Iraq Feburary 9th. We see the cardiologist every year (I hate going there).

Garrison is a busy 1st grader and I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world. He is doing great in school and is right where he should be academically. He is the kindest person I know and he loves everyone. I love you baby.

Movin' to Canada

Well the next four years should prove to interesting. I am ready to pack it up and move to Canada. Just my opinion which I am entitled to.

Jace is 10!

I can't believe that my baby turned 10 (on Halloween)!! Just the other day I was putting this year's school pictures in the frames (I have every year from pre-k in there) and I was comparing how much he has changed over the years. WOW! Gone is that sweet little boy that used to call me Mommy :( He still likes to snuggle although I am sure those days will soon come to an end.