Highs, Lows and Hopes

Alana came up with a good idea for dinner conversation a few months ago that we have been implementing. We mention our high and low for that day. It's good because it helps to channel conversation. Otherwise, Tom and I would be swinging back and forth between Alana's constant chatter and Peter's attempts (and often successes) at being a clown. It also helps to recap our day. Last night, Alana said that we should add another element - our hopes for the next day. So, to give an exmple:

My high today was an encouraging convesation with a friend.
My low today was a terrible nightmare I had in the early morning hours.
My hopes for tomorrow are to get some groceries.

If you are in need of a little more organized conversation around the dinner table, I highly suggest this! We've had a lot of fun with it.

20 Months

Peter is 20 months old today! I can't believe it. That sounds so close to 2!

At 20 months, Peter:

Is VERY silly!!!

Has become a major couch potato. We're really going to have to work on this.

LOVES his beautiful Sissy! But then, who wouldn't??

I love being the mother of these two kids!

Happy Birthday and Cardiologist Visit

Today is my dad's 61st birthday! Happy Birthday, Daddy!

I love this picture. It was taken 3 days before Peter's surgery.

I do not have a good picture of my dad with both kids. We're going to have to work on that. This is the only one I have with the three of them.

We took Peter for his regular visit with the cardiologist yesterday. I was dreading it because Peter screams the ENTIRE time! However, he did slightly better yesterday. He did scream, but he got calm for about a minute or two at a time, which is a huge improvement for him. The nurse blew bubbles during the EKG and that helped a lot.

Overall, things remain the same for Peter. The Dr. can still detect a murmer over the left side of Peter's heart, so we need to continue to monitor that left pulmonary artery (which is not new news). However, he did say that we can wait on doing those two tests (echo and lung profusion scan) until next summer, and even then we will probably only do the echo without sedation (if Peter will tolerate staying still). He said we will only do a lung profusion scan (that does require sedation), if we can't see all we need to on the echo. In the meantime, he just wants to see Peter back in six months. He also said that there is not really the possibility for Peter to be in heart failure anymore. The more pressing issue is that that artery would not keep up with Peter's growth and his right lung would have to start taking over more of the work, which could make Peter more tired. He said the sympton we need to watch for is a decrease in activity.

The Dr. reiterated to us again that this is something we need to watch all throughout Peter's life, especially during his growth years. However, I did a little better job of preparing myself for this news than the last time. It's as if Peter is 99% normal, but we need to watch that 1% of not normal. Please continue to pray the same - that the artery would remain open and strong and continue to keep pace with Peter's growth.

Potty Training?? Already??

Peter asked to sit on the potty today. I'm completely flabbergasted!! We have not made one single mention of anything potty-related to him at all. I've not even been remotely thinking that direction. However, Peter has been watching and paying attention and decided he wanted to sit on the potty. He didn't do anything, but I just can't believe he even wanted to sit on it.

I am NOT READY for this yet!!!:)

A Quick Thought

It was SO GOOD to be in the house of the Lord today!!!