One Word....PANTIES

I am so happy to say, Natalie is finally in panties!  You do not understand how big of a deal this is, she is over 3 1/2 years old.  I started the effort last summer, but stopped once I realized she was going to have surgery again, plus she had zero desire or care.  

I have been talking it up to her since surgery, but I have one strong-willed child.  I say that carefully, because for Natalie, it is so nice she is so strong-willed, it has helped her stay strong and fight.  However, it is has also caused her to fight me on things like potty training, too.

I finally had it a few weeks ago and decided that I was only going to buy pull-ups.  It took her a few days to be okay with it, but I was not going to buy more diapers; it was time.  I know some kids it takes longer, but Natalie wanted to be changed the minute she peed or pooped, so I knew it was time.  

We then had a terrible February with the flu, so I waited until she was all well.  The past week, I decided it was time.  I put panties on her.  Now, to say it was that is easy, yeah right.  She peed and pooped the first 30 minutes she had them on.  Seriously?!

Then, she refused to go for the next 2 hours.  I had about 45 minutes until I had to go pick Carter up from school, so I finally put her princess potty in the living room and made her sit on it until she went; 30 minutes total.  She was so happy when she finally went and of course, I was too!  

I think she thought it would hurt, but when she realized it did not, she was okay with it.  Get this though, she needed to use the potty again that afternoon and went into the bathroom and pulled her potty back into the living room to go.  Really?!  I then had to convince her, we use the potty in the bathroom...to funny.

She has had a few accidents, about one a day for the past week, but I will take that. It normally, because she does not get her pants pulled down in time.  Hey, it is a start and I will take it!  So proud of my little girl, guess she is not so little anymore...

Heart Kid 5K and Walk

Put on your running/walking shoes, because it is time for the Second Annual Heart Kid 5K!  We are putting together a team this year, Team Natalie.  We would love for you all to join us Saturday, April 20th and walk and/or run in honor of our Natalie.  I plan to run and walk; Larry will just walk of course. Maybe I can convinced Larry to run if we get some many to join Team Natalie this year...just a thought for now, but a pretty good one, because he does not like to run (unless someone is chasing him, that what he says).

Bring the family out for fun and we are having a cookout afterwards too this year and everything is set up right by a playground!

I will post more information soon, but we plan on making Team shirts again this year.  Thank to the Berry Family and other members of our church RUN family, who last year surprised us with Team Natalie shirts.  We hope to use the same design as last year, but are not sure if we can or not.  I will keep everyone posted on the shirts.  If you do plan to run or walk, please be sure to put Team Natalie on your registration form.  Also, email me or Larry and let us know that you plan on walking/running, so we can make sure you have one when it is time to order the shirts, we order you one...Thanks!

If you can not walk/run for whatever reason; out of town or just plain to not want to, that is cool.  You can also donate to our team too.  If you are interested, you can mail a check to the address on the registration form; just put Team Natalie in the Memo line. Also, you can mail me the check if you have my address, just be sure to make the checks out to High Plains Mended Little Hearts.  They are a non-profit, so make a copy of your check before you send it, so you will have record of your donation for tax purposes.  

Here is a picture of part of our Team from last year.
Please consider coming out and supporting Team Natalie again this year!

Let's try to double the team size this year!

The Dreaded Flu...

My month all summed up with one picture

When I say dreaded flu, I really want to use bad words, but I will refrain from that on the Internet and this blog.  But man, I am so sick and tired of the flu to say the least.  February was our month for the flu, the whole month.  I know you are thinking, oh really, the whole month?  Yes, the entire month...Nightmare

The month started out pretty good, but quickly turned into the sick season at the Bunn House.  It started on the first Friday of the month.  Natalie woke up with a small grade fever, so I took her into the doctor.  I really thought she had a UTI, not the case, but they did not swap her for anything else and she seemed good, so we went on our merry way.  The next day, she woke up with 102.6 fever.  This time, Larry took her back in to the doctor.  Once again, they did not test her for the flu, but did give us an antibiotic, because we still thought she had a UTI. Saturday, Natalie was pretty miserable, but by the next day, she was totally fine.  Monday, the doctor's office called and said her UTI was negative.  We were just thinking virus of some sorts now and she was totally fine.

Wednesday she woke up with 102 fever again, so back to the doctor's office we went.  This time, I asked them to swap her for everything; flu, rsv and strep.  Low and behold, it came back flu A.  We realized it was probably the flu the entire time and now it was too late to give her tamiflu so we would just have to wait it out.  Nice thing is, she was totally fine the next day.  

Carter woke up that Friday morning, running 102 fever!  Story of my life. I take him into the doctor, sure enough, he has the flu.  The difference between my two kids when they have the flu is amazing.  Natalie is mostly fine expect that she just wants to chill.  Carter on the other hand, has the chills, the fever and the throwing up.  He is a terrible patient.  I am just so glad he is not the child with the heart defect, that has to go to the doctor all the time.  

Carter finally was well enough to go back to school the following Wednesday.  The next day though, Natalie starts complaining about her ear.  So I take her back to the doctor on Friday.  If you are following closely, you will have realized I have now been to the doctor's office every single Friday in the month of February, not mention the times I got to go on another day too.

Natalie did have an ear infection, but also had flu B this time!  Give me a break!  I asked Dr. Scott to please, please put my entire family on tamiflu, which she did.  I then spend the rest of the weekend washing towels, sheets and blankets again.  If it could go in the washer, it went.  Otherwise, 6 cans of lysol and 4 tubs of clorox wipes have gone through every inch of the house multiple times.

I even got so desperate that I tried the onion deal.  I read about it a few weeks ago.  You basically cut an onion in half and place it in a bowl in a bedroom.  Onions are suppose to attract nasty bacteria, trapping it.  Let me tell, it did not work at all in my house.  The onion just looked gross, like it had been sitting out too long, which it had (a week). I ended up throwing it away.  

Now it is March and I am praying for a germ free house for the rest of the year! So if you are wondering why I have not written very much this month, it is because I have spent my month in germs, lysol, clorox wipes and laundry detergent.  I even thought about pulling all the clothes out of my kids closets and washing them too.  I thought that was maybe a little extreme, but I did make my kids pull all their toys out and lysol them down.  You can not say I do not have a clean out now...

The Blizzard

That is right we just got over a blizzard here in Amarillo.  Last Monday morning, a week ago, we got 19 inches of snow.  There was terrible wind causes white out conditions and snow drifts up to 6ft in some areas and no snow in others.  It was crazy!  

The kids were out of school for 2 days, which never happens here.  However, they had to pull the snowplows off the roads a couple of times on Monday, because they could not see.  

My kids have taken full advantage of the snow however.  We have played in the snow just about every single day, which was fun at first.  Now the snow is almost totally gone, expect for areas where they had to pile it high beside the roads.  Crazy how a week ago, kids were out of school, because of 19 inches of snow and today is is almost 60 degrees and beautiful out.

Carter during the blizzard on Monday.
Larry kept going outside shoveling off and on during the day, so when we were able to get out, we would not have a 4ft snow drifted up against our garage

Carter and Natalie playing in the snow

Do I need to say anything at all...so cute

We went to our neighbors and went sledding in the front yard.  Yes, that is how much snow we had
Whit Thoennes decided to block the boys from sledding

Carter

Super Cool Mom!
My neighbor, Amy Thoennes, is going to kill me for this, but oh well.  We both went sledding, but I had the camera.  

The Heart Kid 5K...Sponsor Forms

The Heart Kid 5K and Walk

Saturday, April 20, 2013

John Stiff Memorial Park, Picnic Area #10

5K Starts at 9:00am

1.5 Miles Walk starts at 10:00am

BBQ Picnic served at 11:00am

I will post the entry form in the next few days, but wanted to first ask if there are any business out there that would be interested in sponsoring.  We have several different levels...

Gold Heart Level...(requested minimum donation of $1000)

     Presenting Sponsor

     Company Logo on Shirt

     Company Logo on Event Sign and Printed Material

     Free Team Entry

Red Heart Level...(requested minimum donation of $500)

     Company Logo on Shirt

     Company Logo on Event Sign and Printed Material

Blue Heart Level...(requested minimum donation of $300)

     Company Logo on Shirt

     Company Logo on Event Sign

White Heart Level...(requested minimum donation of $200)

     Company Logo on Shirt

If you are interested, please let me know.  I am attaching our sponsor form, you can fill out and mail in as well.  

We are putting a Team together in honor of Natalie.  I will post that information later this week or next week.  Even if you can not sponsor, we will have other opportunities, such as walking, running or even just making a donation in honor of Natalie or any other CHD child.  Keep your eyes out for more information

   

Happy Valentine's Day

Three years ago today, we were making our road trip home from Dallas with our baby girl for the first time since having her.  She already at such a small age, had 3 open heart surgeries.  I can not believe it has been 3 years now, plus one more open heart surgery to make a total of 4!  I can honestly say, I was scared to death to be coming home, away from Children's Medical Center.  

Since then, I have met some of the most amazing families and children who are apart of the heart community.  I am blessed to have such an incredible support system from not only these wonderful people, but all of you out there who have prayed for us daily.  We would not be where we are today without the support of our families, friends, the amazing staff at Children's Medical Center and all the prayers warriors out there.

Being in a heart community is not always the easiest thing in the world.  I have followed many blogs over the past year, whose loved ones earned their angel wings.  This life laid out before me, is not what I would have thought would be my life 10 years ago or even 5 years ago, but I have been blessed beyond words.  

Natalie and My Grandmother in 2010,  meeting for the first time

I have not mentioned this much over the past month.  My grandmother recently passed away from heart disease.  She taught me so much and was an amazing women.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would let you know who I wear Red for this month...

My Daughter, Natalie (my fighter and hero)

My Grandmother

Myself

All Those Who Have Earned Their Angel Wings Both Small and As Adults

I also wear Red for those families that made the decision to give the gift of life to someone, during the toughest time in their lives; Thank you...

Happy Valentine's Day from my Heart Family to Yours!

I Have A CHD

I have never really talked about this much, probably because Natalie's CHD is so severe.  

I was born with a ventricular septal defect (VSD).  My mother said when I breathed, my chest would sink in and then come back up.  She said it was horrible to watch.  I was luckily though, the doctors gave me a shot of medicine that was able to close the hole about 90% or so.  I live a normal life.  I played sports growing up and have had two amazing children.  

I do remember going to a cardiologist when I was young for EKGs and Echos.  I also had to take antibiotics before the dentist up until a couple of years ago, when new research showed I did not even need that any more.  

Most recently, I went to a cardiologist a few years ago before I ran my half marathon to be sure I was okay. He said I was doing amazing and did not even need to come back for another 10 years.  

I never really talk about myself and honestly, it was not until recently did I realize that I actually had a CHD.  When I was a kid, I do not think they talked much about CHDs.  But time has changed and with the improvement of medicine and technology, it is much easier to diagnosis a baby born with a CHD.  CHD is still the number one birth defect though.  Let's get out there and make people aware of CHDs and new mother's aware so they can get their baby's screened before leaving the hospital.