Lyla Surgery Update

First of all, please let me apologize to anyone who has been anxiously checking the blog for an update on Lyla's surgery that was on Tuesday.  Things have been hectic and this is the first time I've had a chance to even sit down and think. 

Her surgery went really well.  Hopefully we don't have to go through this any more times.  I'm so thankful to have Children's Hospital so close by!  They are amazing there!  Everyone from the nurses to the doctors to the people who check you in, they all have a very special way of keeping the kids happy and not letting them get scared. Here is Lyla when we put her in her "special pjs" and showing off her "bracelet"!

We had to be there at 6:45 in the morning, then by the time she went back for surgery and then it took her quite a while to get woke back up from the anesthesia, it was about noon when we got home.  The three of us ended up taking a nap. 

When we got up we were thankful for the popsicles Grandma had sent!

Then we got a knock on our door with a special delivery for Lyla.  Her teachers at daycare sent her flowers and a stuffed monkey!  How sweet are they?  We couldn't ask for more!

She named her monkey B-I-N-G-O.  Not Bingo... B-I-N-G-O is his Nameo...   lol   :)

She is doing great!  So great in fact that I decided to go in to work tomorrow and she is going to go to daycare.  She is such a trooper.  I'm thankful that the problems she has had have all been things that can be treated.  Its hard on me as her mom to see anything wrong with my baby, no matter how minor.  But I always try to remind myself and put it in perspective that at least its not cancer or some other terrible disease or something that we wouldn't be able to fix.

On that note I'm heading to bed so I can get up to go to work tomorrow. 

And Em - I know I know, I didn't do a 5 Things Friday last week and this week isn't looking so promising either... But in my defense I barely even know what day it is anymore!!

Heard Around the House #14

Saturday Morning at Breakfast:

Gary:  Lyla, how is your breakfast?  It doesn't look like you have even touched your eggs.

Lyla sticks her fingers right in the eggs on her plate.

Lyla:  I touched them Daddy.

Lyla put peas up her nose.

I decided just get straight to the punchline:

Lyla stuck peas up her nose Friday night! 

I absolutely have no other words to say about it, but WHY?????

Heard Around the House #13

The three of us are shopping at Target last night.  Gary abandons us to go look at electronics.. you know, normal stuff.

I've got Lyla and I'm trying to find her some new socks. 

{Side Note:  I prefer to buy her socks at Target because they usually have a nice end cap of socks for her where you buy them by the pair.  Therefore I can get whatever color I want and however many pairs of that color I want.  Well last night they only had weird colors and they were all clearance priced down so I'm kind of scared they are discontinuing this...  :(   I'm crazy sad at this thought!}

So Lyla starts eyeing up the red socks.

Lyla:  I want RED socks.

Me:  And WHAT are you going to wear RED socks with?

Lyla:  (With the attitude only a 2 year old can give) My Shoes.....

So she won a pair of red socks for being a smart ass! 

Lyla & her BFF Becca

Lyla's friend Becca came over Saturday evening to play while her mom & dad got to go out and enjoy a nice anniversary dinner.  The girls had so much fun!  Its sort of crazy to me that Lyla is old enough now to seriously have a "friend".  They don't just play next to each other like kids do when they are really little, they actually play together now.  Its just the cutest thing you have ever seen!  Well I think so anyways, you can judge for yourself!

5 Things Friday - Places I would like to visit

5 Places I hope to get to visit someday:

1.  New York City
This is absolutely at the top of my list!  I want to go so bad!  I don't know if its my obsession with Sex and the City or what but I can't wait to get the chance to go someday!

2.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The Harry Potter movies are good.  The Harry Potter books are amazing.  And when I found out Universal was building a theme park based on the world created in the Harry Potter books... I need to see this!  I need to see Hogwarts and I need to drink a butterbeer!

3.  Sydney, Australia
I blame Oprah for sealing the deal on this one!  I have always liked learning things about Australia and seeing pictures... but when Oprah did her trip there, well I really want to go! 

4.  Canada
One of my best friends is moving to the great white north and I hope I get a chance to visit her at her new house!

5.  All Inclusive "Fill in the Blank Anything with a Beach and Lots of Adult Beverages"
Sandals Resort or anything like it where I can pay one price before I go and sit on a beach with a cold drink and just love my life for a few days! 

Helen's Heroes - A Walk to End Alzheimer's

Team Website

I am captaining a team in honor of my Grandma - Helen Ely who passed away last September.

If anyone is interested in joining my team and walking with us, please let me know!  You can follow the link above to go to my team page and join my team.

If you don't want to or can't walk with us and want to make a donation in her honor, you can do that by following the above link also!

This is a cause very close to my heart.  People don't talk a lot about Alzheimer's Disease and its hard to really understand what its like until you have lived through it.  When you think about a family that loses a loved one to Cancer or another lengthy illness you think about how awful it was for the family to watch their loved one suffer for so long.  I feel like a lot of people forget that its the same drawn out, horrible experience when you lose a loved one to Alzheimer's.  Trust me, I'm not suggesting that one is worse or better than the other, lets face it - both are heartwrenching! 

When someone is dying of Alzheimer's its hard for the family because there isn't ever a time to say "goodbye".  The fact is you can live with Alzheimer's for years like my Grandma did.  But for the family, even though they are still "living" they are already gone and you are trying to cope with that while at the same time caring for the patient who is technically still "living".  It can really rip you apart when you hate to see them at the nursing home without visitors when at the same time if you do go they don't know who you are.  You have to decide if its better to try to tell them who you are or just let them believe you are a stranger that they have never met.  My Grandma got to the point where she didn't even know that she had ever had children.  Its shocking how your mind can just erase all your memories from your life like that.

I'm going to continue to do posts about my Grandma and about other people who I know that have been affected by this disease in the future, just look for the "Helen's Heroes" label!   And please visit my Team Page for the Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Adventures with Lyla Bean

Gary was busy working on the house all weekend so Lyla and I were on our own for entertainment.

I asked her Saturday what she wanted to do and she said she wanted to go shopping.  So after her nap we headed to the mall.  I kept asking her what she wanted to buy and she kept telling me sunglasses.  She already has a few pairs, but whatever if that makes her happy...  Well every time I found a pair she told me no.

So after a few stores we ended up at Payless to shop for shoes!  She really is my daughter!  She tried on every single pair of shoes in her size (as well as some too small and too big) including the Suri Cruise inspired heels!

We left there and had some fries and lemonade.  Then she wanted to play so we spent a lot of time in the play area. 

She is so silly, everything I offered to buy her she told me no.  I felt bad having her out shopping for so long and not buying anything so we ended up bringing home a coloring book and stickers. 

Who knew stickers could be so much fun?!?!?!

We also spent a lot of time singing songs this weekend.  She asked me to tape her this morning, but then she got all shy, so this is the best I could get:

Move It Move It

5 Things Friday - 5 Favorite Ice Creams

Ice Cream - My 5 Favorite Kinds.... But really, has there ever been an ice cream I didn't like??

1.  Mint Chocolate Chip (Specifically Edy's Mint Brownie)

Gary's all time favorite is Mint Chocolate Chip and he has totally got me turned on to it!  And when we found Edy's Mint Brownie... well there was no looking back!  We even got poor Ashley addicted to it!

2.  Moose tracks

Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups and Famous Moose Tracks Fudge.... mmmmmm

3.  Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard with Chocolate Ice Cream (Instead of standard vanilla)

You have to ask to substitute the chocolate for vanilla... your welcome.

4.  McDonalds Shamrock Shake

Technically not ice cream... but totally one of my favorites! 

5.  Plain Vanilla with Rainbow Sprinkles

Sometimes the basics are exactly what you want/need (depending on who you ask)!


Ok, now that we are all drooling... go get some ice cream!  :)

Heard Around the House #12

Gary and I were walking in to daycare with Lyla this morning:

Lyla:  I want to play outside.
Me:  I'm sure you will get to go outside today.
Lyla:  Its not raining.
Gary:  No, its just foggy outside.
Lyla:  (jumping up and down) Ribbit Ribbit

Fun Fun Fun

I have been really busy the last few days and have also taken some really good pictures!  So here is a photo filled update!  :)

We went to WashPa this weekend.  We got to spend time at my mom and dad's.  Em and Gerald were there Saturday and my Grandma was there yesterday.  Gary and I got to go out to dinner and a movie Saturday evening while Lyla stayed with my parents.  Then yesterday afternoon we went to a surprise 30th birthday party for my friend Erin. 

And today is our anniversary, 7 years together!  Lyla and I thought we should wear dresses for the occasion!  And now all the pictures:

5 Things Friday - 5 Funnies from this week

5 Funny Things from this past week:

1.  We had a really busy weekend last weekend and come Monday morning we were all exhausted!  But how can you not laugh at this??

2.  On Tuesday I asked Lyla if she wanted to wear shorts or a dress to daycare.  She picked out a super frilly party dress to wear.  Whatever, I wasn't going to argue with her!  Why not spice up a boring Tuesday!

3.  Wednesday I emailed Gary with some good news, his response: 

alright, throw away your crazy pills, and if your still crazy after that we have a problem ,lol

4.  Thursday night we had corn on the cob... I can't look at this picture without cracking up!

5.  And finally every night this week we got to go out on Lyla's new (to her - thanks Karla) bike!  Not so much funny as it just makes you smile!

We had a really great week and we are looking forward to a fun filled weekend!  Happy Friday Everyone!

Heard Around the House #11

Me:  Lyla you are so pretty!

Lyla:  I know!

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Lyla opens up the refrigerator, there is a seedless cucumber inside.

Lyla:  OH A PICKLE!!

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