Walking

Natalie is walking! She is taking a lot of steps and stopping to catch her balance before she proceeds on. Now, she is still crawling and can't stand up without holding on to something, but she is moving. However, we walking comes bumps and bruises too. She has a little cut above her eye, but she just cries for a minute and goes on.

We are also giving her a lot more people food. She had pancakes and yogurt this morning and pasta this afternoon. I am still trying to get her to drink out of cup, but she just chews on it. She is still cutting teeth and is about to have an entire mouth full.

Carter is great! He is loving school still and wishes he could go every day. Larry and I took him to Sea World this past weekend, while my mom kept Natalie for us.

Carter loved Sea World! He said the "Big Whale...aka Shamu" was his favorite. We were watching the dolphins and one splashed him, he thought that was pretty funny. He did like the Shamu show, though he thought it was really loud and covered his ears the whole time. Larry and Carter did ride a little kiddie coaster and he loved it!

We had a great weekend in San Antonio! We stayed at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort and some friends from Texarkana came and met us. We swam, rode bikes and went to the Riverwalk. Now the weather did not always agree with us and it rained some, but it was actually nice because it cooled things off a bit.

I will post some pictures from San Antonio and Napa later this week. Also, the Amarillo Heart Walk is October 30, so if you live in the area...mark you calendars.

One last thing...be sure to cheer the Razorbacks on this weekend, we play Alabama at 2:30 on Saturday! I love football season

One Child Staples Out & One Child an Ear Infection

I know I have not posted any pictures from my trip to San Francisco yet. But we have had a busy week in the Bunn Household, like always. And well, I am not good at that, but I am trying to get better...I promise.

Carter started school this week! He goes three days a week and loves every minute of it. Tonight he kept touching the computer screen when we were video chatting with my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew. I kept asking him to stop and of course like any other three year old, he didn't. He looked over at me and said, "Teacher says to keep our hands in our laps." Really...his poor teacher, he seems to have down what to say, but has forgotten to follow it. I look up to all you men and women out there that are teachers, I just do not think I could do it.

Carter also got his staples removed on Tuesday from his fall from the side table last week. Luckily, Larry came with us and took him inside, while I set in the car with Natalie. Carter walks in a little teary eyed and walks out with a sucker and a smile on his face. Larry said he only cried once, because she pulled his hair on accident. Oh man, I am in for it with him if that did not hurt...ER, we will be back again soon I am sure.

Natalie now has eight teeth and is getting two more. She is a slobber monster right now. She also has an ear infection we found out today. She has not been sleeping good and has been a little cranky so I took her in and sure enough, ear infection.

We also got her a little shopping cart that she can push around. She is too freakin' cute with it! She smiles and pushes it from the kitchen to the playroom and back. She has not figured out how to turn it around yet, but is so happy to be able to walk behind it. However, instead of putting items in the shopping cart, she throws them out all over the floor.

I am still training and doing pretty good. I got a little off on the running with vacation, but I am back now and in full mood. There is little over 12 weeks until the half marathon. I am so excited to be able to run and raise money for Natalie and Scottish Rite!

I just got off the phone with Larry and he is probably going to kill me for posting this, but I am think it is great. He went to a two hour yoga class today in Houston. It was one of the warm or hot yoga classes. First, he has not really worked out in a few months and second, he has never done yoga. He said he was going to be a bit sore tomorrow. I am always sore after yoga, but have never done a hot yoga class before. I just do not know if I could handle that one. My hat off to him.

I hope everyone is enjoying the September so far. So happy for football season again!

Life Continues

This past weekend, Larry and I got to go on vacation for the first time in two years and it was so nice! Larry's parents came to Amarillo to watch this kids, while we went to San Fransisco and Napa Valley for a few days with friends.

Larry has a childhood friend that owns a vineyard in Napa Valley, Arista Winery. We got to see the McWilliams and got a behind scenes tour of how the wine was made and grown. I can honestly say I never realized how much art and science went into making wine; not using pumps and a specific type of soil, etc. We went on a few other wine tours and then went to San Francisco for a few days. I have always wanted to go to San Francisco for some reason. I just have a few cities that I have always wanted to see, not sure why but I do.

While in San Francisco, we toured Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf. If you have not ever had the chance to go to Alcatraz, you should. I did not realize that Alcatraz was once a military post before a prison. It was fascinating seeing all of that and learning about "The Rock." As we finished the tour, there was an old inmate who was autographing books. I can't image coming back to a place that like that after so many years. We did not have to chance to visit him, the line was really long. I will post some pictures later this week of our trip.

While in Napa, I got a call from Larry's mom on Thursday evening. Natalie was running a 102.4 fever, which completely freaked me out. I called the on call doctor that night, because I thought going to the ER would be a nightmare for everyone. After a dose of Motrin, her fever dropped to 100, not great, but better. I woke up nice and early the next morning (remember, I am two hours behind) to call the doctor to make an appointment. Larry's parents took Natalie to our pediatrician, Dr. Scott. Dr. Scott called Children's to see what all needed to be done. Come to find out, there is a check list you basically go down and check off to make sure things are still good and there is no infection inside.

Natalie had to go to the hospital and have blood taken, xray and urine sample. She also had the normal check up; throat, ears and nose. Everything came back fine. Her O2count was slightly down, but still in the lower 80s. They gave her antibiotic just in case, but said it was probably a viral infection. I was worried there for a bit, the first time she gets really sick and I am several states away. Larry's mom kept me updated through the whole process and Dr. Scott called me to fill me in afterwards, I am way impressed that they kept me so involved not being there...thank you to them.

Thank you to Larry's parents for not just keeping our kiddos but taking care of Natalie with everything! Larry and I needed a little relaxing and get away after all we have gone through this past year.

We got home on Sunday and the kids were excited to see us. Of course, Carter's first thing was, "Where is my surprise?" You got to love little ones. I spent Monday doing laundry and playing with Carter and Natalie.

Well, last night Carter was in one of his over tired so I am really hyper moods at 6pm. Carter has been trying to completely cut naps out all together so we have these moods (hyper, because we are tired), watch out. He ran upstairs, I thought to get his shoes, when I heard a huge crash. My cousin was here, so I gave Natalie and ran upstairs. Carter met me at the top of the stairs, so I thought he was just scared. We went into his room and his side table was knocked over and the lamp broke.

I kept calm and was trying to calm him down to see what happened when I say blood all over his neck and back of his shirt. I picked him, got a towel and came downstairs to the kitchen to see better. We called Larry to come home, Carter wanted his daddy right then. A good friend of mine was picking me up to have a girls night, so she came in to help.

We finally saw the cut on the back of his head. He also bit the inside of his check and has a good size bruise on his jaw. He calmed down, but was upset because I would not let him play Play-Doh right then, because he needed to go to the doctor...really?

After long discussion last night and this morning, I figured he stood on his side table to get something from a cabinet and what else, it came down and him on top of it. We have talked so many times about not standing on tables and climbing on things, but Carter is strong willed and I am afraid he will learn things the hard way.

We took him to Urgent Care and he ended up getting two staples. He was a big boy and it just so happened that Larry bought him a surprise yesterday afternoon so Carter was perfect. I ended up going to meet my friends from dinner and when I got home Carter ran over to me and started trying to climb up me and flip over. Boy doesn't act hurt at all. We have to have limited activity through tonight and he should be fine. Limited activity for 24 hours in the challenge, he is bouncing off the walls to go do something. We do have to go back next week to have them removed, but that is next week.

I guess the is the first of many trips to the Urgent Care or ER...how do you survive boys!

A Blessed Family - A Celebration of Life

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First Step

That is right, Natalie took a step the other day! Now, it was only one, but it was one! I am so proud of her, she is a movin' and a shakin'

Thank you all for the support in my training for the Dallas White Rock Half Marathon. I didn't get the gym as much as I wanted to last week, so when I went yesterday morning, I was struggling bad. I go nice and early so I will be home by the time the kids wake up and Larry needs to go to work, so that makes it twice a hard. I was trying to convince myself I could do it, when I started watch ESPN. There was a story about a pro-basketball player was had a spinal fusion and how he went back to a children's hospital in LA to visit with other patients. I really did not get the whole story since I was just watching it and listen to my music. I felt like God was telling me okay, you may be struggling, but this is what you are running for so suck it up and run...no complaining. God sure has a funny way of helping you out, even if it is motivation through an ESPN segment.

I am currently working on my slideshow from Natalie's birthday and baptism weekend. The computer was winning my frustration battle yesterday, but today I have my boxing gloves on, so I am going to finish it and get it posted.

Dallas White Rock Half Marathon

I had a crazy idea back in May, that I need to run a half marathon. I am not a runner or at least wasn't a runner. That same week, I received a Scottish Rite newsletter reflecting the donations earned from the Dallas White Rock Marathon that past year. Well, there was my motivation and half marathon, it was like God was telling me okay, you want to run, run this one. What better motivation then to run an event that raises money and awareness for a hospital that my daughter happens to be a patient of.

So in June, I signed up. I plan on running 13.1 miles on December 5 along with who knows how many individuals. I have several good friends and cousins that have agreed to run along beside me as I run my first half marathon. I am now up to 6 miles and every time I add a mile and think I am not going to be able to finish, I think of Natalie and all she has gone through and will go through in her life and like that, one more mile seems like nothing.

I ask that you consider helping me reach my goal in fundraising for this event. If you are unable to help monetarily, I ask that you say a little prayer for us as we train for this event. I am running for my daugther, Natalie!

www.active.com/donate/tsrh10/EBunn

I will keep you all updated on my training as it continues.

Scottish Rite Follow Up

Natalie had her follow up at Scottish Rite yesterday in Dallas. She had a great doctors visit, but for me a little frustrating.

I know I can't plan, that is up to God. I just wish I did have so much uncertainty and waiting with Natalie. I know we have about two more years or so before her next heart surgery and then there is always a possibility of little maintenance surgeries in her future and the possibility of a heart transplant. I guess, I have just been dealing with heart a lot longer then her spine now.

We really do not know any more than what already knew about her spine. She has scoliosis and is missing a few ribs. She is developing great, so that is not holding her back in any way. The problem is they can not get an xray of her standing up yet, so they are not fully sure the degree of the curve. The first xray was a few weeks after her last heart surgery and Natalie was not a wiggly, the xray shows about a 28 degree curve at the time. This time was a little worse, but no much, however Natalie would not stop moving so they had to take 3 xrays before getting a good one. Dr. Richards told us that is hard to really tell at this age and without her standing up right. We go back in 8 months for a follow up.

Dr. Richards said, he really can't tell us what Natalie's future holds. We pray her spine stays the same and the curve does not progress. However if her curve gets worse, they will have to do surgery. Natalie is not a good candidate for a brace or casting. The casting puts a lot of pressure on her chest and she would not be able to handle it. Also, the brace or casting does not work for her type of scoliosis. The surgery would be a spinal fusion where they would put rods in her back. I did learn if she ends up having to have the surgery, if they do it while she is very young, it is not a one time surgery. The main surgery is placing the rods in, then they go back every 8 months to lengthen them. However, they can only lengthen them twice before having to go back in and replacing the rods.

I had a lot of questions for the doctor, but he stopped me after a few and said we just can't answer everything right now and that I was getting way ahead of myself. He was really nice and right. For now, we just have to wait and watch as she grows. I do know that she is in the best place possible she could. Scottish Rite has been fantastic!

I know God has a plan for her, she is so special to us and a little miracle in our eyes. I not going to lie, it is hard for me with all the uncertainty that seems to always be around her and will always be around her. I hate as a mom not being able to protect her more. I just have to keep looking to our good Lord and Savior.

I ask everyone to pray her spine stays the same and the curve not to get worse.