Our life.....Always Changing

Kind Heart

2011-10-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

My nephew, K, (pictured above at age 5 holding Reghan at 4 days) was baptized yesterday at our church. He is now eleven years old and is all boy. K lives, breathes, eats and dreams Star Wars! He is highly intelligent and wise beyond his years.

K and I have always had a special relationship. I was his primary babysitter from birth. Everywhere I went....K followed. I think my entire paycheck during college went to buying things for K! He has always been my buddy.

K has been through a lot of "junk" in his short life. More than any kid should have to endure. It has been amazing to watch as K gets older that the world and his experiences have not hardened his heart. He is a sweet boy. His heart is devoted to God and His plan for K's life. His heart is still soft. K this a thinker and every question he asks has a reason behind it. The kind of kid that has always chosen his words very carefully.

I am beyond words thankful for K and that I am lucky enough to get to watch him become a teenager and adult. I know God has BIG plans for K. Watching K go through the waters of baptism yesterday reminded me that all of the Saints and Angles in Heaven (including our Lord) were rejoicing with us! I am one proud Auntie!!

The Joys of Motherhood!

2011-09-21T10:53:00.001-07:00

Let me give you some history behind the punchline of this blog post. On Saturday our two dogs got out and decided to see the town. We did not notice they were gone until Sunday morning because that is how busy our Saturday was. The girls and I took of in the car to attempt to track them down before Animal Control did. Reghan sat in her car seat the entire time crying uncontrollably because her furry buddies were missing.

Robbie was smart enough to stay home and check the Animal Control website for their mugshots. Well, he found them. At least we knew that they were safe until we could get them on Monday since they were closed on Sundays. Stinking dogs!

Well, Monday morning Piper and I walked Reghan to school like always and Robbie headed to Animal Control as soon as they opened to figure it all out. Piper and I went to meet Robbie after he called to tell me how much it was going to cost to get them out. $357 to bail two dogs out of puppy prison! Are you kidding me!!!!!

After Robbie got it all straightened out he left to go back to work. Piper and I stayed to finish things up and get Max and Sadie out. As I was standing at the counter paying way too much to the county Piper started to fall. Well. . . she grabbed my pants as she fell and took them with her! Yes, my child pants me in front of the entire lobby of people waiting for help! You might ask, how did your pants come down so easily. I had gauchos on and they have an elastic waist. Sucks for me!

All I could hear was an audible gasp coming from the people sitting behind and beside me! After I frantically pulled up my pants I did the only thing I could think of doing. I turned to my now captive audience and said "Oh the joys of motherhood!" and turned back around and pretended it didn't bother me.

I am not the type of person who becomes embarrassed very easily. Blame it on my personality and sense of humor. This, however, is my most embarrassing moment to date! I am sure something will come along to top it off, but for now it remains #1!

So, in closing my final thougths on the experience are . . . . . . Thanks Piper, you sweetheart!

Contentment

2011-08-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

As I get older I realize the importance of being content and happy where I am today. God obviously has a plan for my life, my husband, my girls and my marriage. Being content is trusting God with His plans and not trying to force my plans to happen.

Here is my rant for the day...I find the more I time I spend out of my house that my generation is obsessed with having more no matter the consequences. It seems as though we were born wanting what our parents have without having to work for it. Yes, I have to admit I was one of those people. I was raised by very generous older parents who had the resources and desire to give me what I wanted. Robbie and I often joke that I never heard the word no as a child (not far from the truth). I came into adulthood with a nice savings account that aloud me to purchase anything I wanted. Yes, I was smart with my money for the most part, but I do love to shop too!

Getting married at the age of 22 was a huge wake up call for me. I quickly learned that being newlyweds at 22 meant not having everything my parents have after 49 years of marriage. It meant hand-me-down couches, living in a rental for eight months, and not always having the biggest and the best of everything. This was the beginning of me learning how to be content with my possessions and place in the world.

After Robbie lost his job when Piper was born my view of being content changed and grew dramatically. Robbie, being the sole income provider for our family, was out of work for almost a year. By growing and changing our idea of contentment we were able to keep our home, pay our bills and feed our family. Was it always fun...no way! Was it a challenge on our marriage...YES! By God's grace we survived.

Now that Robbie has been at a stable job for six months our lives feel much more normal and a little less stressed. This in no way has changed how I view my own contentment. If anything it has made it stronger. I am thankful for being happy where I am today and not having the desire to always have more and better.

That being said, how do I teach my girls about being content. I know a lot is modeling it for them and part is experiences that they will go through on their own. My desire is for them to be content with their here and now and trust God for their future.

Please Don't

2011-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

Piper was playing in the living room this morning while I was busy working in the kitchen. All of a sudden I heard this huge belly laugh come from the living room. I ran in with my camera in hand to attempt to capture what is was that was causing a huge laugh come from my tiny princess. I quickly discovered it was the Wiggles! Piper has never been interested in what was on the TV so I have never purposefully put on an age appropriate show for her. It is my personal belief that kids should not be constantly entertained by the boob tube.

As the Wiggles show (for those who are not familiar with the Wiggles, it is a young kids show that has four adult men who sing and act like idiots all the time. Sounds entertaining right?) progressed I heard many songs that we used to sing with Reghan as a toddler because she too loved the Wiggles. The longer the show played I heard something strange come from the Wiggles. They were singing in Hebrew and then in Spanish! What the heck????? Really, do I need to expose my 15 month old to Hebrew and Spanish when she is still trying to learn English!

I am fine with Reghan's school having a Spanish teacher and teaching her Spanish at school. Reghan already has an established English vocabulary (larger than I would like a t times). However, Piper defiantly does not have an established vocabulary since her's consists of: Dada, Mama, Sis, Gram, Granddad, dog, monkey, nana (for banana), ball, I love Dada, oh no, no, etc. You get the idea. I do not need my toddler being confused by multiple languages.

I am sure that the writers of these shows think they are doing a good thing by introducing young children to different languages. But, for me, I think the Wiggles have lost their "charm". Bye Bye Wiggles!!! There is my rant for the day. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I feel better now.

Differences

2011-08-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Since Reghan started school, Piper and I have gotten a lot of time to spend together at home as well as out and about. The more time I spend with Piper the more I realize how different my girls are. Now, I realize siblings are not meant to be exactly alike, but being that this is the first chance I have really had to get extended time alone with Piper. I guess I am just slow.

My brother and I are 13 years apart and have quite a bit in common. Our personalities and sense of humor are very similar. Now that my hair is darker, we look more alike too. We tend to like the same foods and especially when it comes to deserts. Jim and I are both adventureous and love challenges.

Now, there is Robbie and his sister, Lisa. They are, for the most part, exact opposite. Their personalities are very different especially their sense of humors. Their likes and dislikes are very opposite. Their passions are very different with one exception...the guitar.

It really amazes me how God can use the same parents, same genetic material, same home environment to create either of the two extremes when it comes to siblings. Reghan and Piper do have things in common (unfortunately mostly medical issues). They both were due on the same date and they both started talking very early. For the most part, they are proving that God has given them some big differences.

Reghan loves to make a mess and is very good at it. Hence the nickname "Hurricane Reghan". Piper hates messes and will frantically do everything she can to clean it up. Piper loves blocks because she can clean them up. Well, Reghan loves blocks because you can build stuff then destroy it. Reghan became a "fish" in the pool and Piper is really indifferent about the pool. Reghan never cuddled as a baby or toddler. Piper loves nothing more than cuddling and loving on someone. I will stop here because the list goes on and on and I don't want to bore you will the details.

Am I thankful that my girls are different. . . absolutely! I cannot handle two mini-me's! The world needs people to have differences. Does this mean that Piper won't challenge me at times? No way! It will be interesting to see what she does challenge me on. Reghan, I know she will and is my biggest challenge since she is my clone and a fellow strong-willed human. I truly believe God has given me children with two distinct personalities for a reason. He knows what I can handle far better than I do!

First Day of School!

2011-08-09T09:00:00.001-07:00

I am the kind of parent that excitedly looks forward to the first day of kindergarten. Some days (and years) it feels like kindergarten is never going to come. Well, yesterday we finally reached the glorious day that I have been counting down to and it was exactly what I had hoped for.

Prior to the first day of kindergarten I had taken Reghan shopping all over Modesto and the internet for school uniforms, shoes, backpack, supplies, etc. She was excited for the first five minutes of our marathon shopping experience to get ready for school. I had her entire wardrobe of school uniforms washed and ironed two weeks before school started. Yes, I was that excited for her to go! I would have packed her lunch if I could have!!

My friends and family can all tell you that I am not one of those mommys that get emotional and cry for most things. I was praying that I had passed the same trait onto my child and I knew the first day would be the ultimate test. I had done all I could to prepare her for 'real' school (so I thought). We talked about kindergarten all the time, drove by her school on almost a daily basis, took her to preschool for two years in hopes to make her realize that school is a safe place to be and Mommy always comes back. As a family we attended Back to School Night before school even started. During that time I was able to give Reghan a tour of the school, talk to her about bathroom procedures and get her comfortable with her classroom.

Three days before school started Reghan and I had a long conversation about the first two weeks of school and how things would happen at home and her responsibilities. Reghan in her own blunt ways said to me "Mommy, I am not going to cry on my first day of school and I don't want you to be one of those moms who do! I can totally handle it!". All I could think about was maybe some of my brainwashing worked!! She is not going to cling to me and cry as I try to escape from the classroom! Yeah!! This was a huge reliefe since I, myself, was one of those children who cried hysterically and chased after my mom until the fourth grade!!

FINALLY, the big day that I have been waiting for more than five years had arrived. The first day of school! So, yesterday morning Robbie, Piper and I walked Reghan to school along with her backpack, supplies and lunch. I have to admit she looked adorable in her navy pleated skort and white ruffled blouse. Of course, Reghan's outfit was complete with a big bow!

After the morning flagpole meeting the kids headed to their class and so did all the parents (secretly I was hoping I could leave then). We were in class for about 30 minutes while the teacher did some things. After a while the teacher said it was time for parents to leave (YES!!) and kids need to go say goodbye and then come back to the rug. Well, Reghan turned around on the rug and flashed us the I Love You sign and then quickly turned around to her teacher!

Exactly what I wanted! It was conformation that we have raised an independent child that knows I will come back for her at the end of the day! So, we left the school and walked home. I was so excited walking home. I spent my time praying and thanking God for Reghan and her independant spirit. I also asked God to make Reghan dependent on Him.

Today was day 2. Reghan, Piper and I walked to school in time for Reghan to play on the playground with her friend. Then, again it was flagpole time. I told her I was going to stay for flagpole and then leave. Reghan's response was "I don't need you here. You can go home now!" I stood there again in amazement of my child and watched her during flagpole. The, she confidently walked with her class to their room. No tears, no clingy child, no nothing! I cannot wait to hear about her day.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T17:00:00.001-07:00

I am borrowing the idea of "Wordless Wednesday" from two of my blogger buddies. Enjoy!

My Grandma with Reghan. Melts my heart.

Seriously?

2011-07-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

After being very sick yesterday with the flu I decided to do something very stupid and take my girls to our local dollar store so Reghan could spend her allowance. Yes, I know, not very smart but my trip was purely selfish. I knew if I let Reghan buy a few items at the store then she would stay busy for the rest of the day which in turn, insures I will get a great nap this afternoon. Reghan found a few items and we headed to the register to pay. Well, this is when our simple trip to the dollar store turned interesting. . . .

I knew that Dollar Tree sold pregnancy tests made by some unknown brand. The lady in front of us in line at the register was buying a pregnancy test. Okay, I thought, why not it is a cheap way to find out if you are prego or not. After the lady paid an entire $1.08 for her prego test she quickly asked the worker where the bathroom was. WHAT!?! Really, you are telling me that you cannot wait to get home to pee on the stupid stick? You are really going to go take a pregnancy test at the dollar store! She ran back to the bathroom like she was about to be sick.

After the lady in question ran to find the bathroom the worker told me that situations like that happen in our wonderful Ceres Dollar Tree every other day. Seriously! Every other day! They need to start charging $1 for getting to take the test at the store. Maybe it would discourage people from finding out their future in this disgusting bathroom. I have to admit a Target bathroom would be totally different! All I have to say is "only in Ceres".

Finally . . . I'm back!

2011-07-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well, after much convincing by my good friend Jessica, I have decided to jump back onto the blogwagon. We will see how frequent I can keep up with this thing. So much has changed since my last post so I think I am going to start from today. Catching up will take way too long and let's face it, my life is not that exciting.

My sweet Piper is now 14 months old and is a walking, talking, eating and laughing machine. She is exactly Robbie's clone and has a laid back attitude like he does. Thank God because Reghan is EXACTLY me! God knew I could not handle another 'mini-me". When Piper was born so many friends, family and strangers told me that life with two kids would fly by. Of course since I am stubborn, I did not believe them. Well sitting here 14 months later I realize how right they were. Life does truly seem to fly even faster with two little ones wanting my attention all day long.

Since Reghan and Piper are four years and eight days apart they are constantly in dramatically different stages of life and I love it. I cannot complain since I only have one in diapers and the other is able to do the daily life happenings by herself. Reghan and Piper do, however, have things in common despite of their age difference. Reghan can look at Piper with a silly look and cause Piper to start belly laughing and visa-versa is true as well. It does my heart good to watch them interact and love on each other.

Piper did not escape the medical issues that Reghan has experienced. She does have sleep apnea and does not sleep well. We are waiting until she is two to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. It is too dangerous to do before Piper turns two because of her severely compromised airway. So far Piper has escaped any epilepsy symptoms. I pray daily that she will not have epilepsy.

Reghan starts KINDERGARTEN in three weeks! All of my friends know that this is a time I have been waiting for in Reghan's life since she was born. Yes, part of my excitement for all day kindergarten is purely selfesh, but you cannot blame this stay-at-home mom who has been pouring my everyday into this child since the day she was born. Part of my excitement is because I feel like I have actually accomplished something...I have raised this child and kept her alive to make it to kindergarten. The third part of my excitement is for Reghan. She is an independent sole and is beyond thrilled to go to kindergarten. I have already been informed that she will not miss me and that is completely okay with me. It means I have taught her how to be self-confident and secure in herself and her family to known that at the end of the day I will be there to get her. Reghan is beyond ready to tackle kindergarten head on and she reminds me on a daily basis! All I can think about is "Fly little bird, fly!"

A Day

2010-02-24T15:58:00.000-08:00

Today if filled with many different emotions. I am sad for my friend who lost her father a year ago today. I know she misses him so very much. So, today I am praying for God's peace to cover her and her mom and brother. I am also praying that today can turn into a day of celebrating his life and the man he is. Please know that we are pryaing for you.

Today is also the day Reghan has her last dose of seizure medication. This is a day I have waited for so long. I am a cautious mix of excited, reliefed and nervous. I am excited to see my child seizure free for over a year now and hopefully medication free from tomorrow and on. I also know that there is the possiblility of Reghan having seizures and night terrors again and going back on the meds. We will see what happens after tomorrow.

I just found out two minutes ago that a friend of mine, H, friend has gone missing. She lives in Anitoch and was last seen yesterday dropping off her child at daycare. Please pray for her safety and that she will be found very quickly. I have asked God that she would be found before tonight. I know God can do it, nothing is too big for him. Also, pray for safety of her child while she is missing. Pray that the police will be smart in their search.

So, today I am praying for so many things. I ask that you pray along with me.

It's a ........

2009-12-23T14:21:00.000-08:00

Well, this morning was our 20 week ultrasound appointment. Robbie and I were anxiously watching the monitor with hopes of getting a glimpse of what this baby is. Well after three times of trying to see the gender and having the legs crossed (just like Reghan did) we finally got to see what this baby is. It is a . . . GIRL! That is right, we are having another girl. Poor Robbie is so out numbered in this house! I guess he will have to get used to it. We did not get any ultrasound pictures this time, but I have a doctor appointment Janurary 11th so I will have new pictures then.

Christmas Sweater Continued.....

2009-12-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true...the Christmas sweater debate continues! How many times in December can one person wear their Christmas sweaters? What the heck! The same person (and her sister) wore a different Christmas sweater this morning proving that she has a collection of these things. I never new that you could collect ugly Christmas sweaters. I also learned this morning that there are matching Christmas turttle necks for these sweaters! Did you know that????

I am completly puzzled with the thought of a woman putting on a sweater (on purpose) that has ornaments on it especially positioned on the chest area. I just don't get it. After my last post about the subject I have seen WAY too many women out in public in ugly Christmas sweaters. I never would have guessed that they are so popular across the age ranges. I honestly thought that the sweart thing in December would stop once Gottschalks closed earlier this year! Women must have stocked up on these things when they were 95% off!

I truly hope my annoyance with the ugly Christmas sweater is over (for now). Please shoot me when I am old if I dare to wear one of them! I have come to the conclusion that there truly must be a shortage of mirrors now! That would be the only reason a woman would walk out of her home in a Christmas sweater!

Random Thought

2009-12-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

As I sat in my MOPS meeting (Mothers of Preschoolers) this morning I looked around the room at all of the other ladies paying attention to what what happening up front. Just as my gaze was going back to the person who was speaking at that moment something strange caught my attention. Honestly, I had to take a tripple look. There was one mom who was wearing a UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER! What on earth possesses someone to wear such a thing?? Seriously??

Christmas sweaters were popular in the 1980's and the '80's are coming back....but...come on....not the Christmas sweater please!!! Now keep in mind this mom is probably close to ten years older than me, but way too young to wear one. Am I right?

Once I noticed the fashion faux pas that was taking place within our own MOPS group I quickly texted a girlfriend that happened to be sitting at the same table as sweater lady. I suggested that we give up the pj party that is apart of the MOPS Christmas party (not that am I going to wear my pjs out of the house) and go for an ugly Christmas sweater contest. My friend (who thinks a lot like I do) had trouble keeping her laughter to a minimum. It was a funny sight for me to watch!

So, now I am wondering if I am way off base with my feelings towards Christmas sweaters or if I am a normal person. What are your opions of them? Well, my friend and I have now decided to go on a search (which should not be difficult) for very ugly Christmas sweaters to wear to the last MOPS meeting of the year. This means I have to do something I dread...go to a thrift store. If you know where I can find one, please let me know!

Thanks for letting me vent about my frustrations regarding Christmas sweaters! I do feel much better now . . . . until I see someone wearing one again!

2009-12-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

Super Girl saving the universe from Darth Vader! Reghan loved getting her big cousin.

Reghan and her two cousins, Hannah Montana and Darth Vader.

Reghan with Grandad and Grammie

Catching Up

2009-12-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

I know, I know...long time no blog! I was motivated by one of my friends to update the blog so here I go!

First, CONGRATULATIONS to Jessica and Ian on the birth of their very handsome baby boy Connor! Robbie, Reghan, Baby A and I are thrilled for you and your family. Jessica and Ian live in Scotland currently, but I hope to get to meet Connor within the next few months (if I can get Jessica here). Reghan told me this morning that she likes younger men! Watch out they could have something in seventeen years or so!

Reghan is beside her self excited about Christmas this year! She knows what is coming and what to look forward to. There is already a plan put into place for the type of cookies we will be making for Santa to eat. I am trying to convince her that Santa loves chocolate chip cookies (since they are Daddy's favorite) but she want to make peanut butter (which Daddy doesn't like). We will see what she decides in the end. It is fun to see the excitement on her face as the house gets transformed by the three Christmas trees and the pink ones in her room.

I had a third doctor appointment for the baby yesterday. The baby is doing well and is measuring perfectly. The only perk of being labeled as a "high risk" pregnancy is the fact that I get an ultrasound everytime I see any doctor even if it is just for something completely unrelated to the pregnancy. So yesterdays ultrasound showed the baby moving around like a circus preformer! It would stop just long enough to either suck its thumb or to clap its hands. Everytime I see this kid on the screan it is moving like a crazy person and then sucking its thumb. I hope this is not a sign that it is going to be a kid more active than Reghan is!! Pray for me!

Reghan and this new baby have the same due date! Yea, I don't know how that happened! God has such a sense of humor! When I was pregnant with Reghan I had the diagnostic ultrasound and found out she was a girl on December 23rd (day before Christmas Eve). Well, following tradition, I have the diagnostic ultrasound on December 23rd. We should find out if it is a boy or a girl that day too! Robbie is convinced it is a boy and I think it is a girl. We will see who is right! All I know is as soon as I find out I am going shopping! This ultrasound will also see if the baby has two kidneys and check all the other organs and measurements. I am not too worried about the kidney thing. I know the miracles God can do and we trust Him!

Life....

2009-09-23T18:41:00.001-07:00

I did it! I have lost 27 pounds in 10 weeks! I have also managed to gain two feet, two hands and one heart in the process....yes, you are reading this correctly...I am pregnant again! Believe me, it was as much of a shock to Robbie and me as it is probably to you. This baby was not planned at all, but is already loved beyond words.

We found out a few weeks ago and tried our hardest to keep it to ourselves. Well, my husband cannot keep exciting information to himself. So now we are spreading the word. I have to admit that I am terrified. I am so afraid of all of the potential health problems that are a reality for us. Reghan was born with and developed so many health issues within the first year of her life that I am afraid to go through all of it again. This baby's life has already been committed to God on a daily basis. That is all I can do. It is in God's hands and not mine!

For now, I am doing the best I can to keep myself healthy and happy. I have experienced 100 times more "morning sickness" in the last two weeks than I ever did with Reghan. This feeling does not understand that it is susposed to go away in the morning!!! I visit the bathroom more times a day than I ever want to. Hopefully these ginger pills will kick in soon. I need a break from feeling awful.

Reghan is excited at times about having a baby in the house. She is three so she does not completly get it. Her two big cousins are way excited about it and are already arguing about the baby's name. I love it! They are so sweet!

By our best guess the baby is due May 20th, 2010. This is totally comical since Reghan was due May 17th! We could have never planned this. She was born in late April due to complications of preganancy. I am not sure what my doctor is going to say we are doing. The only thing I know for sure is that I will be having a scheduled c-section. It will be nice to know what is a head of me. I won't see my doctor until mid to late October. I will keep you updated on the progress of this new little miracle.

When you think of us please pray. Pray that God will keep this baby safe and my body will not have the same complications that it did last time. Please pray that the baby will be born without health issues and if it is, please ask God for wisdom for the doctors and us. I know God must have a plan for this baby's life just as He does for Reghan's.

First Day of Preschool.....

2009-09-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

The first thing that came flying out of Reghan's mouth when I picked her up at preschool today was "Mommy, I get to come back here on Thursday!". I knew this had to be a good sign of how the day had gone. Thank God!!

Today was Reghan's first day of preschool and I woke up this morning very anxious of how the day was going to go. She picked out her dress and what she wanted me to make her for breakfast. She seemed very excited this morning to go, but I remember how excited she was to go to ballet a few months ago. Remember how that turned out?

After getting ready this morning we (Robbie, Reghan and I) headed off to preschool. We got there in plenty of time to take pictures of Reghan - which I will post when Robbie gets home with his camera - and for Reghan to show Daddy where were class is. Things seemed to be going too well wich made me even more nervous. I had already informed the teachers that in the event that Reghan started to cry and throw a fit that they were to grab her and just let me walk out of the room. Then, a few minutes later she should be just fine.

It came time to leave and Reghan was busily playing with a puzzle at a table with other kids and so we said goodbye and she quickly said "bye". I started wondering if she was going to let me get to the door and then she was going to have a tantrum or was she really going to be just fine with it all. Well, Robbie and I successfully made it to the cubbies, to the door and out of the parking lot without having to be called back!!! Yeah!!! Just what I have been praying for!

I was there to pick Reghan up right on time at noon and I walked into the classroom right next to her and she never looked up or said a word! She was so into the activity she was doing at the moment. One of the teachers (there are four in the class of 18) told me how well Reghan did and how well mannered she is. All I could think of is Praise the Lord!!

Once Reghan realized I was next to her she looked up and smiled. Quickly she became excited about coming back on Thursday and informed me that they are having pretzles and bannanas for snack then. Oh joys of a three-year-old! I am thankful that today went so well and that we just might make it through a year of preschool successfully. Now this gives me hope for ballet next year.......maybe.

The Millie Saga

2009-08-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, after three years of hamster loving, Millie has passed away. I have to admit, part of me is relieved knowing I will not have to clean her cage this week and make sure she has lots of veggies and fruit to eat. (Is that awful or what?) Reghan on the other hand is devestated!!! The death of Millie has hit her harder than I ever thought it would.

I discovered that Millie was a solid rock on Monday afternoon. After nap I brought Reghan into Millie's cage and kindly told her that Millie went to Heaven because she was really old and really sick. This broke Reghan's heart which in turn broke my heart too. Reghan immediatly went into funeral planning mode. This made we wonder since she has never been to a funeral before.

While I took the cage and Millie's body out to the front yard with the intent of just throwing her into the trash Reghan was in her room busily changing her clothes. She came outside wearing a long church dress and matching plastic Disney Princess "high" heels!! Reghan brought me my Bible and phone. She quickly told me that I needed to call Auntie and tell her that Kash needed to come down so he could pray at the funeral and Kennedy needed to sing! Luckly for the cousins they were busy doing homework.

So Reghan and I proceded with the "service". She picked the spot in the flower bed where Millie was to be burried. I dug a hole and placed her body inside. Before we covered her up Reghan prayed and I read a verse. Then just when I thought it was all over Reghan started singing our goodnight song "I'll Love You Forever". This killed me. She cried the entire time she sang it.

Reghan then put the dirt over Millie and then said we were done. As we walked back inside the house she turned to me and asked "Can we go to the pet store and tell Millie's mommy and daddy that she died?'. What???? Where does she come up witht these things???

Monday night Reghan woke up mulitple times crying for Millie. It was sad. Then her attention turned to our sick dog Sadie, who has Tetnus. Sadie had a follow-up vet appointment this morning and Reghan was now worried. Sadie is on three different antiobiotics and Reghan has quickly become the little nurse for Sadie.

Good news, Sadie is going to be fine! Thank God! I am not sure if Reghan's little three-year-old heart could have handled loosing two loved pets in the same week. Oh the drama that happens in her little head!!

Tomorrow afternoon we leave for Oregon. Robbie's grandmother is not doing well so we are going up in hopes to have a good visit with her. Please be praying for safe travel for us and that God would protect Reghan's heart from more thoughts of death. I will write when we return and have new pictures. My advice to all parents....wait to get your child a hamster until they are older, way older. A broken heart in a three-year-old is more than this mommy can bear!

Creative Dance Part II

2009-07-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it is with much regret on my part that I am having to announce that Reghan will no longer be taking a dance class of any form. I know I am being overly dramatic, but I am disappointed. Today was her third week of class and remember that class is only 30 minutes long. I spent 16 minutes chasing Reghan and trying to keep her from falling to the floor in pure dramatic fashion. It was a nightmare on my end! I was sweating, embarrased, frustrated and almost in tears all at the same time.

At the begining of the summer session I had decided I was going to give her until the third week and then I was calling it quits. After today's drama I am offically saying it's over!

I called my sister-in-law in tears after I got Reghan into the car. She kindly reminded me that dance might not fit Reghan's personality. Also that God has a PERFECT plan for Reghan's life! It was a good reminder for me. I truly belive that God has a plan for Reghan that is bigger than dance! He has guided every step of Reghan's short life so far through doctors, specialists, seizures, surgery, night terrors, sleep apena and kiddney issues. How can I forget for a moment that God has a big plan for my little miracle? I am human and I needed this very real reminder that God has more for Reghan than I could ever dream!

First Day at Creative Dance

2009-07-06T13:34:00.001-07:00

Okay, I have to admit that it has always been my dream to have a little girl who loved to go to dance lessons as much as I did (and whould love to still do). Well, I thought for sure my little Drama Queen would easily turn into a Dancing Queen...I was so wrong!

Reghan had her first day of Creative Dance class last Tuesday. The class is only a half hour long. It is full of three-year-old girls. So, I got my little girl all dressed in her beautiful outfit complete with a bun and a ballet bow. We headed off to class with Reghan's big cousin Kennedy in tow. Kennedy takes ballet from the same dance studio and so I thought it would be a good idea to have Kennedy attend the first class to help Reghan get used to the new place.

I was so wrong and all of my "expectations" of the first day were turned upside down by my beautifully dressed drama queen! Reghan would have NOTHING to do with dance class. The first half of the class I spent chasing her back into the dance studio. She was laying on the floor yelling at me to go home. The second half of the class Rehgan spend sitting on the bench inside of the classroom with Kennedy. By that time I had to be thankful that she was sitting there watching the other girls dance and not out yelling at me.

At the end of class the other little girls were given a sticker for their participation and Reghan was not. Of all the things to bother her the most about class was the fact that she did not get a sticker! I was glad that the teacher did not give her once because it gave me a chance to talk to my three-year-old about having to do what Miss Joy says to get a sticker.

Now I am quickly realizing that tomorrow is Tuesday again and she has class again! This time I am praying that she will at least step onto the dance floor. I guess I have learned my lesson about having expecations for a three-year-old. Here are some of the pictures I was able to get.

Big cousin getting the little ballerina buckled up into her carseat. On our way to class. Still happy (for the moment)

Rehgan just realized that she was the only one without a sticker!

Reghan + Camping = Pure Happiness

2009-06-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Robbie and drove up to Pinecrest last night to pick up Reghan. She had been camping with Granddad, Grammie and her two cousins. Reghan was not too thrilled to see us arrive at the campsite. She was not sure she wanted to go home. I can tell you that even after one night of camping my pretty little girl looked like a true camper. She was dirty, messy hair and smelled like the woods and campfire.

Robbie and I ate dinner with them and got to hear story after story of how much fun Reghan had had. They hiked half way around Pinecrest Lake and back. Reghan walked the entire way. They went to the outside movie and she slept through it. Reghan and Kennedy slept in the bed above Grammie and Granddad's bed and early Tuesday morning Reghan woke up the entire trailer with a bang. She feel off the bed and landed ontop of Granddad's chest. It scared the life out of Granddad and Grammie. Granddad finally was able to get a flashlight so he could make sure Reghan was okay and much to their surprise Reghan was still sound asleep. She fell a good five feet and slept right through it! That's my girl!

This morning after we got up and started moving around the house I asked Reghan if she would like to take her bath. She quickly replied back "not yet Mommy, I like my campin' smell". Well, after much begging I finally got her in the bath for a good post-camp scrubbing. I will post pictures of the camping event once the other campers return home and I actually have pictures. I think I truly have a camping girl! It's okay though, we can resolve it by Robbie taking Reghan camping and I will find a nice hotel to "camp" in.

Cleaning Solutions

2009-05-18T16:30:00.001-07:00

Well, this may come as a surprise for some of you, but I have ventured into the relm of "organic" cleaning products. I know, I never thought I would be here either. The economy and trying to save money has forced me to try to find a way to make the cleaning products in my house a smaller part of my household budget without sacrificing cleaning power. Folks, I think I actually did it. My new "weapon" of choice is vinegar. Yes, you heard me right, vinegar. Just plain white (super cheap). About a week ago I purchased a gallon of vinegar at Winco for $2. I have to admit I am not a fan of the smell, but I have found that it goes away in about ten seconds after spraying it. I filled up a spray bottle and started cleaning. So far I have found that it cleans the kitchen, fridge, toys, tv, bathroom and carpet. If something is really dirty then I can add baking soda (just like in jr high science class) and the bubbles start removing the grease. I tried it on the bbq and it actually worked.

Okay, now on to my next "natural" and cheap product. I have discovered how to make a mask that my sensitive skin actually responds well to. I promise you cannot get any cheaper than this for a moisturizing mask. Here is my secret recipe...1 table spoon of plain/vanillia yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon of honey. If you want a thicker mask then you can add a table spoon of rolled oats.

Well, now I am off to finish cleaning my house. The true test will be if Robbie comes home from work and asks what the funny smell is in here. Have a great day!

Two Kidneys CONFIRMED!!

2009-04-29T20:56:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is true! Reghan does have two kidneys and they have been offically confirmend today!! Both are growing and look perfect. I am in shock still. Today was Reghan's annual ultrasound appointment to check the kidney/kidneys and the technician immediatly found the right kidney that had not been there the first two years of her life. There is no question about it that this kidney is present and has grown since last years ultrasound where it was first discovered.

We have quickly realized over the past year that the medical community has no explaniation for the creation and growth of this right kidney. The body itself is not able to create kidney cells once a baby is formed in the womb. It is physically impossible.

As Christians, Robbie and I know that God has created this kidney just for Reghan when she needed it most in her life! It is a true, modern day miracle in every sense. Reghan's doctor, Dr. Eden, believes it too. How else does a kidney form after birth yet in a two-year-old? There is no way it can happen unless God creates it. We have been praising God over the last year for this new kidney. This has allowed her to have seizure medication that she would not have been able to tolerate if she only had one.

My mom went to the appointment with Reghan and me. In the past Reghan has struggled through the ultrasound appointments and now she is even stronger. Last year it took my mom, another tech and me to hold her down for the ultrasound that ended up taking two hours to complete. This time was much better (another God thing). She cuddled up to me and let the tech look for the kidneys. She even got excited when the right kidney was found. The tech was kind and compassionate towards Reghan.

As soon as the appointment was over and we got the news we ran to Pier 1 (the closest store to Kaiser) and purchased a picture frame to frame the two kidney pictures. Now they are proudly displayed on the wall in our entry. Every time I look at them I am reminded how good our God truely is! Reghan is our miracle!

Birthday Pictures

2009-04-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is true...Reghan is turning 3 on the 25th! The past year has sure flown by and she is no longer a baby. She is offically a little girl. Potty trainned and all. Reghan will be starting dance in June and hopefully preschool in September (first on waiting list).

Reghan has not been to any doctor since January! This is the longest she has gone in her lifetime. Her and I both are enjoying the break from the semingly constant line up of doctor and specialists appointments she had for so long.

Yesterday, Reghan and I met Jana at Stanislaus State to take Reghan's third birthday pictures. Jana did such a great job! She is talented in so many ways including behind her hi-tech camera. Thanks Jana for blessing us with these great pictures! You are a great auntie, friend and sister. Here are some of the pictures. It was hard to narrow it down to my favorites since she took 175 of Reghan. My friend Tiffany Sill made Reghan's tutu! It is adorable and Reghan loves it. You can see all of Tiffany's amazing creations by checking out her site http://www.prettylittlethingsboutique.com/ . Thanks Tiffany!

Parade Article

2009-02-17T11:22:00.001-08:00

Yesterday my mom called to tell me about an article in the Sunday Parade that comes out with the Modesto Bee each week. I had glanced at the article before she called, but did not pay much attention to it. The article is about Susan Axelrod and her child who is now 27 years old who lives with seizures. Most of her life the daugter, Lauren, lived with uncontrollable seizures until a new "miracle" drug was approved and placed onto the market by the FDA. This drug is Keppra. The same drug Reghan is on to control her seizures.

For Lauren, just as with Reghan, Keppra immediatly changed her life. It stopped her seizures and allowed her to regain the ground that she lost due to the disorder. From what I have been told, Keppra actually heals the neurons that are mis-firing in the brain causing the seirzures. From what I have read, Lauren will never be able to be off her meds, but Reghan has hope. Within the next few months Reghan should be able to be taken off the Keppra and be medication free for the first time in two years. Since surgery in December, Reghan has not had any "episodes" of seizures, night terrors, or sleep apnea. She is now sleeping WELL!!!! Thank God!

Okay, I hope what I am writing makes sense. I found the article intersting and you can read it by visiting www.parade.com. The article is titled "I must save my child".

Reghan on Meds

2009-01-13T19:44:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken the night before the big surgery day. We spent time in downtown Alameda.

Here are the pictures that I promised from Reghan's surgery day. These were taken after she took the medication that made her act drunk. She was laughing uncontrollably and singing. She was not able to hold her own head up by the time I had to walk her down to the OR. We were laughing along with her. It took some of the anxiety away for a few moments.

Reghan has recovered perfectly! She amazes us constantly. No bleeding and no real complications. She has also had NO seizures or night terrors since! Life continues to get better around here.

As for me, Laurie, I am hobbling around the house today on crutches. I may spend the next few days on them too. Last night I went out into the garage in the dark with no shoes on to get something out of my car. Well, I stepped on a stack of construction staples for a staple gun. They went all the way into my foot. I managed to pull them out before Robbie made it out to help me. My foot is swollen and is very painful. And to top it off, I had an allergic reaction to the pain medication last night and had to spend all morning drugged on Benedryl. It has been such a wonderful day. I have a doctors appointment for tomorrow incase it is not better. I am really hoping it does not get infected.

Well, that's the update for now. Oh, yes, Reghan went snow skiing for the first time on Saturday. She was amazing! She actually managed to ski a little on her own by the end of the day. Robbie and Reghan road the chair lift and skied down many times. I think I now have a ski bunny. Robbie proved to be a great teacher. I will post pictures when I can.

Life is getting. . . BETTER!

2009-01-06T10:41:00.000-08:00

It has been seven days since Reghan's surgery and life seems to be getting better each day! I am so thankful. Reghan still has two more days until she is considered "out of the woods" as far as bleeding and other complications associated with the surgery. So far she has had no bleeding and has returned to eating EVERYTHING she wants to eat. It is amazing.

Reghan did have an allergic reaction to either her antibiotics or the codine that she was recieving. So, we took her off of both and she is feeling much better. As for sleep, we still have some issues and I think it is because of the anesthesia and her habbit of getting up every time she wakes up. She is up about three times a night now, but I am thankful because it is a far leap from previous nights when she was up over 20 times a night! I have been told that the anesthesia and its effects can last in a body for up to six months. Rehgan will have her moments of uncontrollable behavior and not being able to decide on anything. I am praying that with the next passing days that this will improve too.

I hope that I am making some kind of sense. Things are getting better around here and I am slowly seeing a much happier child imerge. It is amazing. We took some pictures of Reghan at the hospital, but they are on Robbie's phone. I will have him post them when he gets home from work. Thank you for faithfully praying with us through this time. We are thankful for each one of you.

On a fun note, Robbie is going to teach Reghan how to snow ski this weekend! He is so excited. This is something he has wanted to to for a long time. I will be watching from the warm lodge. I will also take lots of pictures and video. I will post those too as soon as we get home.

Christmas Train

2008-12-09T08:56:00.001-08:00

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we loaded up a few family members and headed off to the Christmas Train in Jamestown. Robbie, Grammie, Aunt Sue, Reghan, the cousins and I all headed up the hill to ride a train with Santa. It was a good day. The weather was wonderful (much to my surprise). Reghan did not like Santa and would not let him get too close to her. She was amazed at how big the train was and actually began to fall asleep during the ride. I think the rocking of the train car was soothing to her. After the ride we spent the afternoon in Jamestown. I think we might make this a new tradition for our family.

Christmas Trees Finally!

2008-12-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it! I finished decorating all of my Christmas trees and the house. It only took me about three solid days to get it all done. My hands are cut and rough now because I had to "fluff" three fake trees and greens for the chandelier. I am beginning to think my Martha Stewart days are over.

About a month ago I put up all of the trees because Reghan was driving me crazy asking for Christmas. I put them up with the intention of decorating them then, but never got to it. So, on Friday night I started the process of fluffing. This took me about six hours to get them all done. I also had to re-string the medium tree because 11 out of the 12 strands of lights were broken. I began to cut all of the old lights out and four hours later found myself done with that step. Then, the decorating began. . . I had assistance. . .a two-year-old. I don't recommend decorating multiple trees with a two-year-old helper. Next year I think I will wait until she is asleep to decorate. Seven hours later I was FINALLY done with all of the decorating including the chandelier and fireplace. Now, I am exhausted.

You may ask why do I do this...I am beginning to think I am completely nuts. I think next year the "magic" of Christmas may be found in only one tree with minimal decorations. For those who know me well know that I will do the same thing next year. Yes, because I am nuts. I have to admit that there were many times during my crazy decorating process that I wanted to take the medium and small tree and throw them into the pool. Now that it is all done, I love it. What makes it even better is to see the amazement in Reghan's eyes and on her face every time she looks at them. It was all worth it. I hope you have better luck with your decorations.

Tree #1 (the original) 9 feet tall

Tree #2 (The new one) Colored lights because Reghan loves them (I don't) 7 1/2 feet tall

Tree #3 (The little one) 2 1/2 feet tall (I love it because it only took 5 minutes to decorate)

The two big ones together lit and with the room lights out

The fireplace is all ready for "Santa".

The chandelier is all done and is my favorite part. Just call me Martha!

Christmas Yet Mommy?

2008-11-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I think I must be crazy! Reghan has been asking me for a month if it is Christmas yet? Well, so this weekend I decided to make a new holiday "Thanksmas". That's right, we are decorating for Christmas while our Thanksgiving decorations are still out. What am I thinking. . . I want to make Reghan happy. She has become obsessed over Christmas. I think the fact that the stores like Target (which we frequent weekly) has put up all of their Christmas displays.

Reghan asks me at least 10 times a day if it is Jesus' birthday yet. So, this year we are going to start celebrating early. I figure God would want us to celebrate His son's brith all year long anyway. So, a month and a half early cannot hurt. As soon as I get the other trees put up I will post picutres.

I am still waiting on a call to schedule Reghan's surgery. I emailed the doctor this morning to see if I needed to call or just be patient (which I am not good at). I will see what he says. Okay, I am off to start my decorating again. Reghan is now laughing and jumping in pure delight at the sight of one tree, just wait until all three trees are up and decorated!

Amazing

2008-11-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

It is so amazing to me how God cares enough for my family to hand pick the doctors that care for Reghan. Today was once again proof of how much He love us. I, along with my mom and Reghan, drove to Oakland Kaiser for Reghan's consultation with Dr. Gottshall. He is Reghan's new Pediatric Head and Neck Surgen. He is absolutly wonderful. Just like her other two doctors, Dr. Gottshall is kind, compassionate and understanding. When he walked into the room and saw the look of terror on Reghan's face, he quickly took off his white coat and got down to her level.

Dr. Gottshall examined Reghan's ears, nose and throat and then let her get down and play with Grammie while he talked to me. I found out that her tonsils and adnoids are taking up 70% of her breathing space. This is the reason she is having sleep apnea and waking up every 15-30 minutes all night long. He, along with the other doctors, believes surgery is the absolutly best thing for Reghan and that the benifits WAY out weigh the risks now.

The surgery should take an hour and will be done in Oakland. She will have a special team of anestheiologists that are well skilled in working with children who have the same issues that Reghan does. We are blessed because Dr. Malhorta's (neurologist) office is actually in the same hospital where the surgery will be done. He will be available to us if she were to have a seizure. This brings me great comfort.

I was told that they will keep her overnight to be watched. Children her age are at a much higher risk for bleeding than older children. No bleeding after surgery is acceptable and since we are two hours from home, it is safer to stay. It will take two weeks after surgery to be considered "out of the woods". Dr. Gottshall told me that if I were to see any bleeding that we will need to take her immediatly to the closest ER.

Now, for the date. . . we do not have one yet. He is already being scheduled into the middle of December. I am now waiting for the scheduling department to call so I can get a date. Because of Reghan's age and severity, he is allowing her go on a wait list. If there is a cancellation then she will be the first to be called and brought into surgery. We are hoping for an early call. I will post when I have a scheduled date.

I am once again blown away by God's amazing plan for my daughter's life. He has given us three doctors that are beyond amazing to me. Each of them are willing and want to work with each other to provide the best care for Reghan possible. Now I am looking forward to the day when Reghan can rest while she sleeps. I look forward to the day where she can make it through as her happy and cheerful self because she is rested. I know it will be here soon.

So, for now please continue to lift our precious daughter up to the Lord. I know that He has big plans for her life. She has already changed me. I cannot wait to see what He has in store for her in the future.

Oakland ENT Appointment Set!

2008-10-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hello! I just got off of the phone with the Oakland pediatric ENT scheduler. Reghan will be seen by the specialist on Monday! Yes, Monday, November 3rd at 10:30am! This was a very quick appointment. She could have been seen tomorrow, halloween, but I have a funeral to go to.

Please pray with us that we walk out of the appointment with answers and hopefully a surgery date. Reghan really is to the point where she needs some help and relief. I will post as soon as I get home from the appointment.

Appointment

2008-10-27T14:26:00.001-07:00

Well, today I took Reghan to her 2 1/2 year check-up with her pediatrician. It was a wonderful visit. Reghan tested at a kindergarden level (highest level they test to for this age) in abc's, colors and shapes. Of course I was so proud of her. All signs developmentally are perfect like they have been all along.

Both of Reghan's doctors want her to see a pediatric Ear, Nose, Throat specialist in Oakland where her neuorologist is. This ENT specialist only does children and has experience with kids exactly like Reghan and with the same issues. Also, the anestologist team that this ENT directly with during surgery is alson pediatric only and also has experience with kids just like Reghan. What an answer to prayer! God is amazing.

Reghan's neurologist wants to see her before her scheduled check-up with him. I called today and the earliest he has is December 11th. I am going to email him and see if he wants to see her sooner. I am waiting for a phone call from the ENT surgery department to get Reghan an appointment to have a consultaion with this doctor. All three of the doctors on her team feel the benifits way out weigh the risks of having the surgery. Now, I wait for the call from ENT. Hopefully it will come soon. Right now Reghan's sleep and breathing is so bad that we will have to take any surgery date available. Please pray it is far enough from Christmas so she can enjoy it too. Reghan is already excited about Christmas and I would hate to take that away from her.

Thank you everyone for your continued prayer and support for Reghan and us. I will post as soon as I have any new information.

Gap Casting Call

2008-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I am at it again. I just found out yesterday that Gap is having an open casting call. So, what do I do . . . get Reghan dressed and start snapping pictures. Of course, being her mother, I think she should win. Who can resist those big blue eyes? Not her daddy! So, now we will wait and see until December when the public can vote on the finalists. There is a $3000 Gap card at steak here. If she happens to make it into the finals then I will be emailing everyone I know or have ever known and beg for votes. So, for now, I am just praying and checking out the competition every few hours online. Here is the picture I submitted. Not bad for being in a foul mood and with bad allergies.

Here are a few other pictures that did not make the cut. For anyone who knows Reghan will know that these are truely Reghan's personality coming through in a picture.

Health Update: Reghan is having trouble sleeping at night. I realize some of it is the fact that she is two, but this is way extreme. We are having issues with the Ear, Nose, Throat specialist. He wants to wait until she is 3 1/2 (another year) to take out her tonsiles and adnoids. Reghan's pediatrician and neurologist believe that the tonsiles and adnoids are the cause of her seizures, night terrors, sleep apnea, snorring and sleep issues. We are trying to get a second opion and maybe push the surgery up sooner. It has come to a point where we have to weight the dangers of surgery and blood loss with the dangers of all of the other medical issues going on as a result. Please be praying for wisdom for us and all of the doctors and specialists involved.

Catch Up

2008-07-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

I know I have not been so good at posting lately. I'm sorry. It seems like everytime I get online to post something then Reghan or Robbie will run in and need something. So, the kid is in bed and Robbie is eating ice cream while watching tv. They are both occupied so I can write.

Well, I do not have any new pictures to post because my camera broke and Robbie never remembers to bring home his connector cable from work. So, I will post new pictures when I get some.

Reghan is increasingly getting less and less restful sleep which means I am getting less and less restful sleep too. I took her to see an Ear Nose Throat specialist a few weeks ago. He believes that her sleep apnea is caused by her tonsiles and adnoids. So, surgery is planned for October 2009. The delay has to do with her blood supply and safety issues. If her sleep continues to get worse and worse then I will have to call the specialist and he will do the surgery as an emergency. Please be praying that for wisdom of what to do for her.

Okay, enough medical stuff. Over the last three months (thanks to seizure meds), Reghan has re-gained her personality. She is a mover and a shaker. I am amazed some days at what comes out of her mouth and what she understands. She still has her moments like everyone does, but for the most part she has really become a happy child. I have recently realized how strong willed (like her mommy) she is. She will do anything to get her way. From July 4, 2007 until around April 2008 Reghan had really lost her personality and the spark she had at an early age. After the medication started working I could really see my daughter come out of the shaddow she had been living behind.

I know all parents dream about what their child is going to be when they grow up. I have the same thoughts, but my thought for Reghan have turned from what she is going to be to who she is going to become. I want to know what kind of person she is going to be and what amazing things God has planned for her. I believe that God has set up each medical mystery to teach us all something and to shape Reghan's future. I know that in our home we have had our beliefs of miracles renewed. I cannot wait to see how Reghan will impact the world for Christ.

Okay, well that's it. I am tired and am going to go to bed until Reghan decides to wake me up in a few hours. Good night everyone.

Neurologist Follow-up

2008-07-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today I took Reghan to Oakland to see her pediatric neurologist for a follow up. I went with many questions and he was able to give me answers.

Here is the info I got:

*She is having a combination of seizures and night terrors.
*The medication is doing a good job controlling them.
*The MRI and EEG were perfect and there is no damage or dead spots in her brian (very good thing).
*Her development is at a three-year-old level (no damage caused by the seizures)
*She will need to stay on the medication for two years and then repeat the EEG to make sure everything is still normal. After two years she will be taken off the medication and has a 75% chance of never having a seizure or night terror again! Dr. Malhorta believes that she will fall into the 75% and live a normal life, seizure free and medication free!
*Dr. Malhorta will see Reghan every six months for a check-up to make sure her development is still "above normal".
*He noticed that Reghan is now a happier child compared to the first time he saw her. As soon as he walked in to the room he noticed the difference in her personality. We have our fun loving, live wire back!

We are praising God for the wonderful news today. It was so nice to walk out of the appointment knowing we do no have another test to prepare her for. Robbie and I are both praying for another miracle for her. We know that God blessed us with Reghan's life as our first mircale. He produced Reghan a new kidney as our second miracle. So, now we are praying for the thrid! Please pray along with us. We have learned that nothing is too big or small for God. He can do anything.

I know this is long, but I wanted to get the latest out there. We still do not know the results of the sleep study from last week. I will let you know when I know. I hope you all have a wonderful night. Thank you for your support and prayers through out Reghan's journey through life.

Sleep Study!

2008-06-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I was just notified that tomorrow (Wednesday) night I am to do a sleep study on Reghan. What does this mean. . . I have no clue. The specialists are wanting to see if she has sleep apnea and if this is why she snores like her daddy. It could be causing or playing a part in the seizures. Hopefully the results will give us some answers. I have to be at the Stockton Kaiser at 3pm tomorrow to get the equipment. I guess for her age they allow parents to do the study at home. I will be trained in how to use the quipment. I am slightly fearful of this entire procedure. Will I be able to do it? Will Reghan keep it on? How is it going to work? Hopefully I will come home with answers and the equipment. Please pray that it all goes well. I will try to post pictures if the night goes okay.

Surprise!!

2008-06-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Robbie came home from work today with an early anniversary gift for me. I opened the door and Surprise, there was a new car for me. I am so thrilled. It is a silver Ford Expedition! It is beautiful! I am so excited. I have to run though, dinner is burning. I will post as soon as I have a picture of it.

Wonderful News

2008-05-19T16:52:00.001-07:00

Well Reghan once again has escaped potentially serious problems. Her MRI came back CLEAR!!!! There are no tumors, black or dead spots or abnormalitites on her brain or spinal cord. The scan also confirmed the new second kiddney. We are so relieved to know that their is nothing wrong that cannot be helped by medication or a miracle if God chooses. Reghan is now diagnosed with Partial Frontal Lobal seizures just like Robbie. They are easily treated and controlled by medication (that she is on). The neurologist thinks that if she can be on this medication for a year without a seizure then she should be able to come off the medication and live seizure free for the rest of her life. This medication is still in the late experimental stages and is not approved for children under four. Reghan is the youngest patient this doctor has had on it. From what I understand, this medication is actually able to heal the neurons that are miss firing (causing the seizure) and ultimatly allows the patient to come off the medication and live a normal life.
Her seizures should never hinder her goals in life and things she wants to do since she is so young and getting treatment. Driving will not be an issue. She will be able to be one of those crazy 16 year-olds out on the open road behind the wheel of a car (scary!). The only thing she will not be able to do is have alcohol. Alcohol tends to cause seizures in someone who has epilipsy. Darn! Good news for us!
God continues to do miracles in this little girl's life. He has blessed all of us in ways we do not even realize yet. I am so thankful He continues to heal her body and brain.

New Big Girl Bed

2008-05-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it is offical. Reghan is no longer a baby. She has now moved into Big Girl territory. Her crib has gone from a crib to a toddler bed and now to a full size, very tall bed. Last night was her first night in it and she did very well. Reghan looks so small in the middle of the bid bed. It is too tall for her so she has to use a step to help her climb on up. Of course Robbie too the camera with him in his truck today so I cannot take a picture. When he gets home I will take a picture and post it.

Her big cousin is excited about the new bed too because that means that they both can sleep in the bed together durning sleep overs. Exciting! I can remember when I got excited about things like that. Reghan loves her new bed because when she stands on it she can see our neighbor Gee-gee in his backyard. Oh the joys of being a two year old. I don't want her to grow up and lose that joy.

Getting Closer

2008-05-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

The MRI date is finally only a few days away. The more I think about it the more nervous and scared I become. I keep asking myself how I do I trust doctors and MRI techs that I have never met or have never cared for Reghan to provide her with everything she needs. Yesterday I finally realized that God has been faithful since the day she came to be. He brought her and us through so many obsticals that could have been very serious and changed the way we all live forever. God has provided Reghan with the best pediatrician possible, great insurance and a wonderful neurologist. I have to trust Him to provide and protect her again. It is just hard for me to realize in a few days I am going to have to let her be in some one eles's hands and I will not be able to be in the same room.

I wonder how other parents do it especially when they are dealing with truely life threatening illness. Who do they lean on and trust in if they do no know Jesus Christ? I remember when my baby cousin had cancer and spent so many months in the hospital in Sacramento. Her mom stayed by her hospital bed non-stop. Now Chelsi is completly healthy and is in college in Hawaii and a star softball pitcher. God can and does amazing things.

I know I am babbling and by now am not making much sense. I am starting to feel better about Thursday though. Robbie and I want to thank each one of you that has continued to support, pray and encourage us through everything. We are extremely thankful.

Pre-opp

2008-05-08T12:50:00.001-07:00

We just returned from Reghan's pre-opp appointment. It went well considering Reghan is now completely terrified about going to the doctor. I guess she has a right to be so frightened since she has been through so much in the past few months. Dr. Eden said she is healthy and perfect (we knew that) and is safe for sedation. Sedation is the part I am worried about, but I know she will be okay. Did you know that it is a law that before you have any surgery or planned sedation that you must be seen by a doctor for a pre-opp visit? I didn't know this. I guess it covers the surgen's butt. Dr. Eden said this visit was a waste of our time since she had just examined Reghan on Sunday and she knows we would not take Reghan to San Francisco if she were sick without consulting her or the neurologist first. It is nice when you find out that your child's pediatrician has some confidence in you as a parent. I know we completly trust her with Reghan. I never second guess what she suggests we do for Reghan. I have said it before, but we are blessed to have her as Reghan's doctor.

At home

2008-05-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the begining of staying at home for two weeks. I am not able to take Reghan to do our usual activities, playgroup, church, shopping, gymnastics, because we are trying to get her healthy and keep her there. This Thursday she has an appointment with Dr. Eden (her pediatrician) for her pre-opp appointment. I know this appointment will determine if she is healthy enough to be sedated for the MRI on the 15th. I am praying we will get good news and the MRI will not be cancelled.

Today, we started potty training (or the PC phrase is "toilet teaching). I am not sure if I am ready for this adventure or not. This morning has not gone very smoothly. Let's just say I have had a lot of cleaning up to do. I figured I might as well use these next two weeks of being home to do something productive. We will see who gives in first, Reghan or me.

Reghan's Birthday

2008-04-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who helped to make Reghan's 2nd Birthday wonderful. She had a great day. Daddy and I took her to Build a Bear for the first time. She loved it. Her cousins showed up right after we got there. It make the experience even better for her. After making her new friend "Molly" the rabbit we took Reghan to her favorite Chinese resturant for lunch. She ate very well and enjoyed every minute of it. Then, came nap time (my favorite part of the day). After nap big cousin Kennedy came over along with Aunt Sue we all headed to the Ice Cream Company for what else, ice cream. This is Uncle Rob's store and he just happens to make the best ice cream ever. The girls really enjoyed their clown sundys. Finally, we headed to La Morenita for dinner. It was fun having desert first. Suprisingly everyone ate dinner even though we had just had way too much ice cream. It was fun.

Reghan really enjoyed hearing all of her family call and sing her happy birthday. Grandma, Aunt Sue, Auntie, Kash, Kennedy, Grammie and Grandad (calling from vacation in Lousiania) all called. She had fun talking on the phone to each one of them. What a great day it was. I am still amazed that she has been apart of our family for two years now. I am excited to see what the next year will bring.

MRI Date

2008-04-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

We finally heard from Kaiser this morning about the date for Reghan's MRI. It has taken three weeks to get a date from them. She has to be sedated so the first appointment was May 15th at 11:30am. We will have to be in San Franscisco by 10:00 that morning to get the IV in and all of that fun stuff. I am worried about how she is going to handle the IV. I am also looking forward to having the results and having an "offical" diagnosis. Until today she has only had two very short seizures. This afternoon after nap she had a very long (two hour) physcosis event. It is amazing how strong Reghan is when she is in that state. She was able to pull out large chunks of my hair and hit my head so hard with her head that my vision was blurry for about ten minutes. The scary thing is she has no cule what is going on. Now she is my normal, happy , busy child.

Okay, enough about the bad stuff. Reghan is turning 2 on Friday. I cannot believe we have made it through another year. She has changed and grown so much since her first birthday. Now she talks and moves non-stop. She is more fun than ever and boy does she love all of her animals (two dogs, hamster and a rabbit). You would think she was the zoo keeper. Now if we could only teach Reghan how to clean up after the animals.

Vacation

2008-04-14T12:52:00.001-07:00

We just returned from vacation last night and I am trying to catch up on everything. We had the best vacation. There was time to relax, play, eat, sleep and shop. Reghan did well on the cruise to Mexico and at Disneyland. Believe it or not she is actually tall enough to ride on the Matterhorn. She did not know what to think about it. At the end of each ride she would clap. I think she was clapping because it was over and she survived. I was really suprised that a kid under two years old could be tall enough to ride the Matterhorn.

While on the cruise Reghan made many of the wait staff and servers happy because many of them have children her age and they have not seen them for two to six months. The crew on the ship have contracts which means they are on the ship for six to eight months at a time with two to four months off. While on the ship the only contact they have with their families is by phone or email. I know I couldn't do it. Our dinner server each night would get a hug and kiss from Reghan. She would also tell him "nigh-night". He loved it.

Each night when we were finished with dinner we would go back to our stateroom to see what animal was waiting for Reghan. There was always a different towel animal waiting on our bed for her. She loved it. She really liked the bulldog one night and ran down the hall to tell the person thank you. She even hugged him too.

We also visited Calalina. It was fun for Robbie and I to go back there and see the stage where we performed two years on the island in high school. Robbie took a picture of Reghan and I there in front of the state. You will notice she is sound asleep. Soon after the picture was taken she woke up and Robbie got to rent a golf cart and drove us all around the island. It was a cold but fun day.

We had a wonderful time and I am glad to be home to laundry and getting ready for Reghan's birthday. Now it is time to start planning the next vacation.

We have a MIRACLE!!

2008-04-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

It is true. . . we do have a miracle on our hands. Reghan really does have two kiddneys! Not only does she now have two kiddneys, but they are both perfectly sized and healthy. This is so amamzing. We found out while on our vacation. I got a message from my mom that Dr. Eden had called and said she had great news and to call as soon as I could. So, I called and actually caught her in her office. She told me the great news and I had to ask her to repeat herself about four times before it actually sank in.

This changes so much for Reghan. She can now eat like a normal 2 year old. She can now have graham crackers for the first time in her life. We are just beside ourselves. There is no medical explanation for the growth of an entire kiddney. The body cannot produce a kiddney once out of the womb. The only explanation we have is that God created a new kiddney within Reghan within the last six months. It has been six months since the last ultrasound that confirmed the missing kiddney.

In six months to a year Reghan will have another ultrasound to make sure the new kiddney is working and still there. We are amazed and very thankful to God. This proves that God still does miracles.

EEG

2008-04-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I got an email from Reghan's neurologist that the EEG came back clear. I know that is a good thing, but I am not sure exactly what it means. He said in his email that he is going to schedule the MRI on into May. This will at least give us a few weeks without testing and major doctor's appointments. It will be a nice break. He also said he is gonig to image her spinal cord too. Not sure why either. I am still waiting on a call from him so I can find out the answers to my many questions. Hopefully it will happen before we leave on Monday for our cruise. I will write more when I know something. Thank you everyone for your prayers and concern. We could not have made it though with out all of the support.

Home again

2008-03-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

Well, Reghan did wonderfully during the ride up to Walnut Creek and during the EEG. Grammie got the joy of sitting in the back seat with Reghan while I drove to Kaiser. We were singing any song we could think of and loud. We clapped, pointed out cows, windmills and big trucks. The new Barney DVD was a hit too. She managed to stay awake. Thanks Grammie!

Once there, the tech let Reghan fall asleep before she put the electrodes on (over thirty of those suckers). She was able to sleep in my arms the entire test. So, things went very well. What an answer to prayer. After it was over we at an early lunch and headed home. We got home around 1:00. I am so glad to have it over with and even more thankful that it went so well. Now we just have to wait for the results. Next thing is to get the MRI scheduled. She will have to be put to sleep for this. I am not looking forward to it either. Atleast she will not remember it or have to experience the actual MRI.

We are AWAKE!

2008-03-31T05:07:00.000-07:00

Good morning! We are all awake. I don't know who is going to feel more sleep deprived this morning, Robbie or Reghan. We have been awake since 4am and suprisingly Reghan is doing well. Luckly her favorite shows start coming on at 4am during the week. Robbie is cuddled under a blanket and almost asleep. It's a good thing I didn't go back to bed. I think I will get Reghan dressed so we can run around Walmart for an hour. This will wake her up. Then we will have to take showers after we come back since Walmart is so dirty. I should go and make sure she is still awake and try to wake up Robbie. I will try to post more after we get back from the EEG this afternoon if I am not drop dead tired.

Second Kiddney? Are you kidding me!

2008-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

We got some strange news yesterday when Reghan's pediatrician called about the ultrasound she had on Monday. The ultrasond tech that did the test thinks that she has found a second kiddney in Reghan. What? No way! This would be a complete miracle done by God. We are not getting our hopes up yet. It seems strange that three previous ultrasounds and one extensive test showed that there was only one kiddney and now this one is showing two. Reghan's doctor is having the pictures reviewed again to make sure that the kiddney in the pictures is not the same one. If is shows that there is really two kiddneys then she has to have the ultrasound again to prove it is accurate. This would be completely amazing and make Reghan's life a little simplier. It would mean we do not have to be as worried about germs, medication, sugar, water and many other things. We are praying that this is truely a miracle. Who says God does not do miracles still? I will post about the "second" kiddney as soon as I have more information.

Reghan is still doing well on her anti-seizure medication. Last night was the first night on the new dose. It takes three weeks to build up to the correct dose. Too much at one time can do strange things in the brain. Slow is much better with this kind of medication. Jessica, just for you I will have Robbie video Reghan running up and down the isles at Walmart at 4:30am the day of the EEG. I think it will be funny to watch too. I don't know who will be in a worse mood, Reghan or Robbie.

EEG Date

2008-03-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to get through to the Neurology department in Walnut Creek about setting up a date for Reghan's EEG. The EEG will be done on Monday, March 31 at 9:30 am. She will have to be sleep deprived. This should be interesting. Once again, Robbie is not able to go (saving his time so he can go to the MRI) so my mom will be going. She will get the fun job of keeping Reghan awake while we drive to Walnut Creek. The test will take about an hour and a half. So, the way I figure it, Reghan should be able to fall asleep by 11:30. Poor baby, poor me! I am trying to talk Robbie into taking Reghan to Walmart (the only store open 24 hours) at 4:30 am to play in the toy isles and run around the store. That should keep her awake for awhile. I think it is only fair since I have to drive and deal with her the next day that he stays up with her. I guess we will see how that goes.

Thank you for all of your prayers and concern for Reghan. We would not be able to make it through without the support. Thankfully she is responding well to the medication and has not had a seizure or episode since starting the medication. Amazing!!

Oakland

2008-03-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we just returned from seeing the pediatric neurologist in Oakland. What a long day. The neurologist turned out to be a wonderful doctor. He was kind and loving towards Reghan. He made me feel comfortable and like there is a solution to the problem. After talking to him for an hour we decided to start Reghan on a very safe anti-seizure medication that will only help her if these events are caused by seizures. He also wants to start by doing a sleep depervation EEG on Reghan. This will be intersting. The results of this test will tell him what part of the brain to focus the MRI on so that it will be a more productive test. If it is truely seizures then we should start to see improvements in two weeks.
We are very thankful that Reghan as been given the doctors that she has. Now I have to stay close to the phone and wait for the Kaiser in Walnut Creek to call me about scheduling the EEG. Hopfully we will be able to get it done within the next week. Now at least we have some hope of having these come to an end soon. Thank you for all of your prayers and support.

Prayer

2008-03-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Reghan. There is a chance that she is experiencing seizures on a daily basis. The pediatric neurologist called today wanting to set an appointment up to see Reghan on Monday (3/17). So, we are going to Oakland on Monday morning to see this specialist. Please pray that he will be able to give us some answers and hopefully provide relief for Reghan. The last two weeks especially have been very difficult for all of us. We are praying for complete healing for Reghan. Thank you.

First Hair Cut

2008-03-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

Reghan had her first hair cut yesterday (Wednesday). She did amazingly well. Linda (our hair chick) did a great job and was so fast. Reghan sat on Grammie's lap and looked at her Elmo book for most of it while I took lots of pictures and a video. After it was all over with, Reghan climbed up into the hair drying chair and laughed. She really liked to look at herself in the mirror. The rest of the day she kept touching her hair and telling me "Pretty". Now her hair really curls. No more curling iron. Robbie took his camera with the pictures on it to work today on accident. I will post pictures of the before and after tonight when he gets home. She is quickly becoming a big girl. No more baby. . . hello big girl.

Oregon

2008-03-03T11:32:00.001-08:00

Ava Allred, 2 weeks old

Robbie and his Grandma Ruth

The Wolf, or as Reghan called him "Doggie"

The Black Bear coming out of hybernation.

Robbie's dad called us on Wednesday night to let us know about his grandma. Grandma Ruth has been in and out of the hospital fighting Conjestive Heart Failure. The situation did not sound good so we packed up Thursday afternoon and headed for Oregon. Reghan did well on the trip considering we rented a very small car to drive over 800 miles for the weekend. I guess you get spoiled by driving an SUV every day. We spend the weekend with Robbie's dad's family. His grandmother is doing well considering the circumstances.

While we were there we got to meet baby Ava. She is Robbie's cousin, Patty, baby. She is only about two weeks old. Reghan wanted to touch her so bad. Reghan would climb up on the table to try to get to Ava in her car seat. Reghan would call Ava "Baby Aba" and laugh. Ava is a beautiful baby. Good job Patty.

We also went to a wild animal park to see some of the animals that are native to the state of Oregon. It was interesting. All of the animals there have been rescued. Some had been kept as pets and some had been injured. The goal of the facility is to rehabilitate and send back into the wild. Reghan really enjoyed the bears and the wolves.

It was a busy weekend and we are all glad to be back. Now I get to try to get our lives back to normal around here. Laundry and cleaning to do today. . . Fun times!

2008-02-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

Reghan has been taking a Kinder Gym class for five months now. She loves to go to gymnastics. It is amazing how much she has improved since we first started (keep in mind, this is a "Mommy and me class). Her balance, movement and patience has all improved. I was amazed to watch her walk across the balance beam all by herself today for the first time. Every six weeks the class starts over again. So, at the end of the six weeks, each child receives a certificate of acheivement. It is funny how Reghan has realized that this certificate (just a colored piece of paper with writing on it) actually means something. She very proudly taped her new certificate onto her bedroom door for everyone to see as soon as we got home from class.

Thank You

2008-01-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Robbie since his accident at work. He is finally home from the hospital and is doing much better. So far the pain medication is working well at controlling most of the pain. The staples will be removed on Wednesday (tomorrow) and he sees his neurologist in a week. Thank you for all of your continued prayer and support. We are continuing to thank God that he is not paralized.

Reghan's new pet

2008-01-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

Robbie thought it was time that Reghan had her very own pet. She loves animals and really has not met an animal that she was afraid of. For Reghan, the bigger the dog the better. Well, Robbie did not buy her a dog. He bought her a hamster. Milly, the hamster, is a turbo hamster so she is only about an inch and a half long and will not get any bigger. Reghan loves her. She will climb ontop of the table where Milly's cage is and sit and talk to Milly and laugh uncontrollably. It is so funny.

As far as the responsiblility of the pet, that falls on me (Laurie). I get the joys of cleaning the cage and feeding her. Reghan likes to watch Milly run around in the exercise ball on the hardwood floor. I have to watch Reghan because she will pick up Milly and drop her and then laugh. We are working on being gentle. Something Reghan is not.

So, for now Reghan is enjoying her Milly. I am sure there will be many for replacements of Milly in the future.

Morning

2008-01-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! Reghan just woke up (or woke us up). She now thinks she is a big girl. In the morning she calls for us after she has climbed up onto her changing table and turned on the bedroom light. When Robbie goes in to get her she smiles and laughs. We are lucky to have a happy toddler in the morning.

Contest

2008-01-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Well we decided to go ahead and enter Reghan in the Live with Regis and Kelly beautiful baby contest. So, today I had the task of getting Reghan all dressed up and hair curled so that I could attempt to take a picture to send. This picture could be worth a $125k college scholarship. So the pressure was on. Reghan did not want to go along with the plan once she was all dressed and ready. She was so uncoporative that I had to call Grammie over to help. Grammie and I both worked hard to take 120 pictures and only got three that we actually liked. Here is the picture I sent in. We will see what happens.

Success. . . so far

2008-01-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

So far so good with the toddler bed. Reghan has done very well. In the past two nights she has not fallen out yet. I am just waiting. So far she has not even realized that she can get out of bed on her own and play with the load of toys in her room. She is becoming a big girl so fast.

2008-01-01T13:05:00.001-08:00

Allred Family Video

2007-12-31T22:59:00.000-08:00

Childrens Museum

2007-12-31T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is me at the Childrens museum in Stockton. It was a fun day.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

2007-12-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

Toddler Bed

2007-12-31T20:22:00.000-08:00

Tonight we put Reghan in her toddler bed for the first time. It is so amazing that she is big enough to be in a toddler bed already. She is only 20 months old. So far we have not heard a peep from her since putting her to bed. Robbie went into her room and she is still asleep in bed. So far so good. We will see how tonight goes.

Christmas 2007

2007-12-31T20:12:00.000-08:00

This was our second Christmas with Reghan. It was so much fun. The lights, ornaments, decorations, trees, cookies and candy all amazed Reghan. She quickly learned to respond to Christmas lights as "pretty" and "wow". She helped Robbie put the star on top of the tree before going to bed. The presents overwhelmed her, but she loved opening everyone of them. Robbie and I loved experiencing Christmas through Reghan's eyes.

Reghans First Day in the Snow

2007-12-31T19:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday December 30th Reghan had her fist encounter with snow. She loved it. It is amazing how kids automatically know that you are supposed to eat it. I just kept her away from the yellow snow! There had been a fresh coat of snow the day before so the snow was nice and fresh. She went down the sled all by herself too. After about an hour and a half she said she was ready to go home. It was a great day as a family.