Thankful

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful time, spent with lots of family and friends. We had about 28 adults and 9 kids at my mother's house for lunch.

Once again, I have not posted in a couple of weeks. Carter caught a nice virus that put him out for a wee.! He is finally better, thank goodness! Natalie has continued to stay healthy; thank you Lord!

We have not really had a lot go on since I last posted. So, I thought I would sum up November with what I am thankful for...

I am thankful for my amazing husband, that puts up with me and loves me unconditionally.

I am thankful for my family and friends, because without all of you, I would not be who I am today.

I am thankful for the men and women in our military service and their families that gave up their time with their loved ones, so that we could celebrate Thanksgiving without any worries.

I am thankful for my two children, who make me complete.

I can not say enough, how thankful I am to all the prayer warriors and hospital staff at Children's who helped saved my little angel. God made her special with half a heart and continues to remind me how special she is daily!

Last of all, but most important...I am thankful for our Lord and Savior!

Great Article on the Effects of Kids with Complex CHD

I have always wondered about Natalie's low oxygen and being on bypass three different times. I asked the nurses and doctors about learning disabilities and other issues she might have in the future. No one can really be certain. Right now, Natalie has hit all of her milestones and seems to be doing excellent! She can now count to ten and say her ABC's.

I know God is in control and we can handle whatever come our way with Natalie. Anyway, this is a great article and wanted to share it.

http://www.chop.edu/export/download/pdfs/articles/cardiac/long-term-effects-chd.pdf

October Wrap Up

I know it has been a while since my last post and I can honestly say that I have thought about it, but time is just not my friend here lately.

We have had a great October, besides the few illness that have struck my family, but I guess it is that time of year. Carter has had strep twice now, but I am praying he is finally well. I will know for sure this next Thursday, because Thursdays seem to be his day to get sick. Natalie has battle a sinus infection and currently is on medication for thrush. I know, I thought only babies could thrush, I have now learned something knew. I am getting over a nice cold as well. I remembered why I do not love the fall/winter sometimes. I have now bought vitamins with extra vitamin c and immunity boost. It is time for my family to be well for a while.

We have continued to be busy with our soccer stud! He has one more outdoor soccer game, but has started playing on an indoor team with a group of his friends. Why would I want a weekend with nothing to do?

Halloween was so much this year! Carter totally got into and for once was not scared. Both kids had Halloween parties at school. Carter was Spiderman this year (however, we got batman painted on our face?) and Natalie well, did not really dress up. I tried, she just was not into this year, so I did not push.

Amarillo got it's first snow as well! We had an 80 degree day and 2 days later had snow, only to be gone a day later...got to love Amarillo weather. Sad news, my kids did not get to play in it. The snow happened to fall on a day that Carter had just gotten strep. I felt so bad, that I let him walk to the mailbox with me.

Below our a few pictures that sum up the end of October in our family...

I hope everyone is having a great start to November! I will try to post more often, if I can get time to allow it. I thought for now I would leave you all with a thankful note...

I am so thankful for my family, I do not know who I would be without them. I am thankful my kids can talk and hear, even if they do not always listen. I am truly thankful for my little miracle, that every day surprises me and reminds me that God is good!

My Soccer Stud

My little man started soccer fall. His first came was priceless. He knows how to kick the ball, but a game is totally different. He was lost and spend a good portion of the time talking up his other teammates.

Larry has been working with Carter and with practice, Carter has figured it out. He still has some ways to go, but he is doing awesome!

This weekend, Carter had two games, one Saturday and one today. He scored 3 goals today! I must say, this mama is super proud!

A Dallas Weekend

The carousel at the Dallas Zoo
Here is to looking at you

Natalie's first ice cream cone

The clean before the storm...Luke and Carter

Luke, Carter, Gigi, Natalie and Kate

Last Thursday, we loaded up the car full of bags, kids; even my mom and headed to Dallas for a busy weekend of doctor's appointments, family and fun.

I have started to realize that my kids are not perfect angels in the car like I always prayed they would be. In fact, my kids talk almost the entire time, which is 5 to 6 hours to Dallas with them. I try to be that good mom and pack healthy snacks to keep their tummy's full, but the only thing they want and it does keep them quiet is CANDY. I did get a few healthy snacks in before the airheads and ring pops came out...whatever keeps them quiet and happy the longest, sometimes is the best answer in my book.

We were welcomed to Dallas on Thursday night with a nice thunderstorm. I forgot what thunder even sounded like. Carter was too cute, he asked Larry what the lights in the sky were. Larry of course giving him the best answer, "It is God turning the lights on and off in Heaven." Carter thought that was the coolest thing he had ever heard or seen. I love the innocence of kids!

Friday was a full day at Children's Medical Center, our home away from home. We started off the visit with the ENT department. We had a new doctor, Dr. Mitchell this visit and he was wonderful. Natalie's right ear tube is about 50% out. Dr. Mitchell feels that within the next few months both should be out. Please pray that Natalie does okay with her ear tubes out and does not start having infections again. He said that if she starts having a lot of ear infections, they normally like to be proactive with heart kids, so that means more tubes, but for now time will tell.

After ENT we had about an hour to spare, which really is not a lot of time by the time you load kids into car seats, so we decided to just stay at Children's and enjoy the trains and playground for a bit and then go eat lunch in the cafeteria. This was really the first time Natalie got to see the trains and probably understand them. She loved it just as much as Carter did. They were both running around screaming.

After lunch we headed to our favorite floor, 3! We even ran into one of our good nurse friends in the hallway, which was a wonderful surprise.

Natalie's appointment with Zellers was good, but not like I had hoped. Natalie is growing great, but her oxygen is down. I have noticed lately Natalie has been breathing a little bit harder and have just been aware over the past few doctor visits to the pediatrician that her oxygen is not has high as it was last March. Last March when we went to Dallas her oxygen was running 89 to 90 and now it is 79 to 82. Her EKG looked good, but her blood was above average, but okay.

Dr. Zellers said she is growing, which in turn she is just not getting enough blood flow to the lungs. This is all normal for a heart baby, she is just moving toward the next surgery. I guess, I was just hoping she would be able to wait another summer, but it does not look like that is going to happen. Right now, it looks like she will have surgery this coming summer. Yes, that freaks me out, but I know it will be okay. I know we have gone through heart surgery before, 3 times to be exact, but this time will feel different. I think partially because she is older, we have spend so much time with her outside the hospital. Plus, she can talk, she will be able to express her hurting and fear better than before, which is both good and scary as a mother to know your child is in pain or scared. No need to start worrying now, because we still have time.

Dr. Zellers has moved up our next appointment with him. He wants to give her a little time to be able to see somethings, but not too much time. We go back in January and will know a lot more then about what lies head and timing.

After a full day of fun at Children's, what better then to have Gran and Papa come in for the weekend to play! Larry's parents came in Friday night for the weekend.

Actually, they kept our kids on Saturday while we went to the Arkansas vs A&M game. Now if you missed that game, you missed a great one...Go Hogs! The game came down to the last minute, but the Hogs decided to show up for the second half.

While we were celebrating the win. Larry's parents took the kids to the Dallas Zoo. Natalie's favorite thing was the carousel. She got to ride going in and going out, of course. Carter had a ball as well.

Sunday we went to pick my mom back up from my brother's and hang out with them as well. Carter got a hold of my nephew's Luke's swords and went to down on a dead bush out front. We do not have toys like that yet, because I am pretty sure he would use it more on his sister and his sister would use it on him. Natalie played with Kate and loved all of her fun big girl things.

It was so nice in Dallas this weekend, that we walked to a burger joint close by and then had ice cream. Natalie and Carter both had their first ice cream cone. I hope the pictures above do some of the justice, but nothing was better then the seeing it in person, the ice cream was everywhere. A good friend of mine, Sarah came to meet us as well with her cute little boy too.

Family + Friends + Good Doctor Appointments + Hog Victory = Successful Weekend

Natalie and Her Pacifier

Sticking crayons in the holes of her pacifier

Pacifier holding Minnie by the nose while Natalie plays games

Closer look at the Minnie and the pacifier

I have been trying to get a picture of this for the past year and actually got one a week ago when Natalie had the stomach virus. Personally, I think it is pretty funny.

Natalie loves her pacifier to say the least. I know we are going to start weaning her off it this next week, so pray for us and pray she lets go. Anyway, her pacifiers are the ones with the little holes on either side. She likes to sticks things in the holes, such as her Minnie Mouse's nose, crayons, hair clips, anything that would fit. I do not get it, but it is what she does.

I have actually got her before walking around the house with the pacifier in her mouth and Minnie's Mouses nose stuck in it...hands free of Minnie, might I add. I have to give her props for being creative and multi tasking.

Just wanted to share the photos...Happy Wednesday!

Bunn Family Update

A little Razorback love

Can you tell we do not care what anyone thinks? He rode all over the neighborhood too

Carter's favorite toy...He drives around until the battery is totally dead

I can't believe it is already, September 22! Natalie has been in school for a month and Carter has been in school now for 3 weeks. Oh, I am still trying to remember to get his "first day" of school picture. That is right, I am super mom. I just can't remember to grab my camera. I feel like I am doing good, just to get two backpacks, two lunch boxes and both kids dressed and out the door on time; not to mention that I need to be some what presentable, like not in my pjs.

I thought the best would be to give a September wrap up of what has been going on in my sweet family. Like I said, Carter has been in school for 3 weeks now. He is loving every minute of it! His best friend from last year is in his class this year again. Carter is super excited and in fact, tomorrow is Evan's birthday party, which in Carter's eyes is the coolest thing ever.

Natalie is loving school as well. She did decide last week to bring home a little present from school...the stomach bug. Man, it was miserable too. Natalie was totally fine and then all of the sudden, she started throwing up and the poor thing was screaming every time. The first night, I felt like we did not even get any sleep. Natalie did not leave our bed for 2 days, then she was fine for a day and the forth day brought on the diarrhea.

The best part about the stomach bug (please since a little humor coming) is that you get to share it with the rest of the family. Larry came home last Sunday and was in bed for 2 days, with his phone off, which says a lot. I have not washed that much or used that much lysol in a long time, but thankfully, Carter and I did not get it.

Carter could not understand one morning why I kept making him wash his hands or use germ x every time he even touch our bed or anything that Larry had touched. He was getting so frustrated, but I was not about to have another person in this family get sick; one week was enough for me.

Last night we went to a homecoming parade for the high school in our neighborhood. Carter and Natalie loved it; I think the candy being thrown out helped. I must say, it was a little weird for me, because this was my high school's big rival, but the kids had a blast and that made it worth it.

As for Larry and I, this month has flown by. We did take a little trip with some friends at the beginning of the month without kids. The trip could not have come at a better time, I need to regroup and relax after summer. Of course, I came home to the stomach bug a few days later, but I guess that is what you get after a nice vacation. I have to say it was totally worth it!

Here is a few moments of humor between Carter and I...

Carter..."I wish I had a jacket with a hood" (believe or not, it was 50 degrees outside that morning)

Me..."Like this one" (I pull it out from behind my back)

Carter..."Yea"

Me..."Is Mommy this best or what"

Carter..."No, Daddy is"

Me..."What about me" (feelings a little hurt at the moment, especially since I spend all day with him)

Carter..."Mom, life is just not fair"

Me...(feeling a little shocked, but my own words) "You are right"

Another fun moment...

Me..."Carter will you go get me your cup and bowl"

Carter...(only brings his cup to me)

Me..."That is not what I asked for, is it"

Carter..."Mom, you get what you get and you do not throw a fit"

Me...(Baffled, not sure how to answer)

That is right all you young mom's and soon to mom's out there, your kids will use your words on you, so be careful what you say.

Well, my kids are begging to go outside and play, so I will leave you all with this...Go Hogs! Arkansas plays Alabama tomorrow at 2:30 on CBS, I will be watching part of it, because as I mentioned earlier, Carter has a birthday party tomorrow right smack in the middle of the game.