Welcome to my blog!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and visit! We hope to share with you our journey of raising a child with Achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism. If this is your first time here, please start by reading Caitlyn's Story. It will share the beginning of her life with you. Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

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Friday, December 10, 2010

Flashback Friday

I came across these pictures while searching for a Flashback pic.  This is one of the first times we got together with Aidan and Melisa Chase.  The Chase’s live about 20 minutes from us and the kids are only 6 weeks apart in age.  It’s hard to believe that we first met with the kids were just a few months old. 

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And here they are today – 5 years old. 

caty and aidan

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Psycho Kitty

Doesn’t this kitty look like such a sweet little thing?  Well, that’s what we thought too.  She’d come around the backyard and want to be pet.  She’d meow and the girls loved watching and listening for her. 

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Then the unexpected happened…..

One night she stayed at the back door for hours, meowing away.  We went to bed around 11 and she was still meowing.  I got up with Hanna sometime around 1ish and she was still at the back door meowing.  Unfortunately our bedroom is right off the living room so we could hear her ALL THE TIME! 

Then around 5:00 Caty came to our door, pounding away – we sleep with the doors closed or else Jinx would bother us during the night.  Caty was crying and when we opened the door and asked what was wrong, she said “white kitty is in the house!”  We said “what?” and she repeated it.  Sure enough the cat was running around the house.  We thought “what the hell? how’s she get in?”  Scott asked me if the garage was maybe open (and then she used the pet door from the garage to the house) – nope.  Was the door from the side yard to the garage open – nope.  I put Caty in our room and shut the door.  We turned the light on so we could see and this is what we saw (ok so the picture was obviously taken in the morning) but still!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  The damn cat broke into our house!!!!!!!  She pried the whole frame off! 

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We literally chased her around the living room, she was trying to climb the walls and the window.  Scott finally caught her and threw her out the window.  We thought for sure that we wouldn’t be seeing her again, but nope, she’s been back.  We’ve tried spraying her with water, shaking loud things are her.  Nothing.  She still kept coming back.  We’ve kept it up though and have seen less and less of her. 

Never expected that when we saw that cute face! 

Monday, December 6, 2010

Simple Woman’s Daybook – December 7th, 2010

For today – December 7th, 2010
Outside my window...  the sun is finally shining after a day filled with rain yesterday.
I am thinking... about how much fun I had last night out with friends.  Got to see Amanda Gray and Whiskey Savage, the Chris Gardner Band and Nashville’s own Jerrod Niemann. 
I am thankful for...  the show Little People Big World.  After 6 seasons and 229 episodes, tonight is the series finale of LPBW.  I’m so sad to see the show come to a close.  The Roloff's have been such an important part of our lives since Caitlyn was born.  The show first aired about a year after she was born so we couldn’t have asked for better timing.  They have showed not only people in the states but around the world what acceptance of differences is all about.
I am wearing... sweatshirt and exercise pants
I am creating... our Holiday Cards – thanks to Costco’s one day processing, I’ll have them tomorrow afternoon!
I am going...  to take a nap today while the girls rest.
I am reading... Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult.
I am hoping...   That I get a good nights sleep tonight
I am hearing... Elmo saying goodbye and Hanna saying bye bye back.
Around the house... unfortunately there aren’t too many Christmas decorations around.  We have decided that since we’re going to be gone for a week – heading to San Diego for Christmas – that we weren't’ going to put too many decorations up.  We’ve got a few things up, including the lights outside and will go get a tiny tree, but that’s about it. 
One of my favorite things... is our LPA families!  All of you are so special to me and I love you dearly!
A few plans for the rest of the week…  Hanna has her 18 months check-up tomorrow – how is it possible that she’s that old already!  GEEZ!!  Not much else until Saturday, when we’re headed to my cousin Greg’s annual Holiday Party.  It’ll be great seeing family!
A picture that I am sharing... helping rake the leaves.
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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Oops – a day late, but worth the wait!  :-)
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

My Littlest Book Worm

Hanna loves looking at books.  She’ll disappear into her room and I will usually find her looking through her books. 
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Somebody else liked books at 1 1/2 years old – still likes them to this day.
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Happy Turkey Day

We headed over to my parents for Thanksgiving this year.  It is so nice having them close by – so we could head over after Hanna’s nap and head home before bedtime. 
Here’s Nana playing “ashies” with the girls.  Hanna would walk around the house saying “ashies, ashies” until someone played with her.  
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Helping with the after dinner clean-up
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Caty with her new jammies, before the 6+ inches got whacked off!
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With Nana and Papa
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Family picture – have to decide if this one will end up on the Christmas card or one from Maui…
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With Grandpa – Scott’s dad drove down from Reno to join us
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We have much to be thankful for – great health and loved one – both family and friends.  Thank you for being a part of our lives. 

Monday, November 29, 2010

Simple Woman’s Daybook – November 29th 2010

For today – November 29th 2010
Outside my window...  the frost has finally cleared from the ground – man was it cold outside this morning when we brought Caty to school
I am thinking...  about planning an LPA get together with the Southern CA friends while we’re down in San Diego for Christmas. 
I am thankful for...  the fact that school started back up today – Caty turned into a real pain in the you know what over break – talking back, not listening, yelling at us, refusing to go to bed at night – coming out of her room 5/6 times before falling asleep….the list goes on. 
I am wearing... jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a fleece sweatshirt that I got in Seattle back in 2001 when Scott and I drive through there on a road trip. 
I am creating... at least thinking about creating gifts from the girls to the grandparents for Christmas
I am going...  to finish up here and do some Wii Fit Running
I am reading... nothing yet, have many many books to choose from, not sure which one I’ll pick up – I’ll let you know next week.
I am hoping... that Caty had fun at school today and now that we’re back into our regular routine her attitude improves. 
I am hearing... Hanna playing with the dominoes – into the tin, out of the tin, and repeat, over and over and over again. 
Around the house... the dishwasher is going and a load of laundry is going in next; into the washing machine that is. 
One of my favorite things... is coffee on a COLD morning
A few plans for the rest of the week…  school and more school – YAY!!  Not much else during the week.  Saturday we have our LPA Chapter Holiday Party – one of our biggest events during the year with usually 75+ attendees.  Sunday Jerrod Niemann is playing at Stoney’s Rockin Rodeo and I’m hoping to go.  Going to try and win tickets on the WOLF
A video that I am sharing...

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Out They Came!

November 9th Caitlyn had her tonsils and adenoids taken out and it’s already made a world of difference.  She went from snoring like a freight train to sleeping peacefully. 
Getting ready
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Almost time
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She was wheeled off and we headed to the waiting room.  Scott and I took turns walking the hallways with Hanna.  About an hour later, Dr Rubinstein came out and told us that the surgery was over and she was just starting to wake up.  If you’ve been around kids coming out of anesthesia, it’s not fun.  Caty was very disoriented for awhile and her throat hurt (kinda obvious  seeing as she’s just had 2 things removed, although they had to put a breathing tube in, so add that soreness in).  Although not 5 minutes after waking up, she was asking for popsicles.
Here she is with popsicle #1 of I think about 8 she had while were there. 
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We had talked to Dr Rubinstein about the possibility of going home that same day.  He agreed to have her admitted with being monitored and if by 4:00 she was eating, drinking and doing fine, she could go home.  We originally thought that we’d be spending the night, so our plans we’d figured out for the day kinda when down the drain.  After the surgery I was going to take Hanna home so she could have lunch and take a nap.  Well, she fell asleep during the time that Caty was still in recovery.  Luckily Hanna slept for almost an hour in the stroller.  We decided to skip plan A and just hang out.  Hanna had fun playing around Caty’s room and of course taking lots of walks up and down the children’s wing. 
Caty wanted to go and check out the kids room so the girls and I ventured over there while Scott went to get us some lunch.  This was maybe 2 hours after her surgery.  Such a trooper!
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Hanging out watching some tv
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Finally around 3:30ish, I took Hanna home.  Caty was discharged about an hour later.  YAY!! 
Her recovery went great.  She obviously was in lots of pain and we were very thankful for the Tylenol with Codeine.  We chose this particular week to have the surgery because the school was out of Thursday and Friday for Veterans Day.  I had requested Independent Study for the following week if it was needed, but she was well enough to return to school on Tuesday, just one week post-op! 
We’ve already noticed an improvement in her sleeping.  She hardly makes any noises anymore.  We won’t mind sharing a room with her anymore. 
Here she is just 2 days after surgery running around the backyard.  :-)
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Thanks to those of you that sent get-well cards and gifts!  She loved them and they have kept her busy! 

So Very Thankful

Something fun to share before the real Thanksgiving Day post. 

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Halloween

Ok, so it’s a month late, but hey, it’s been a busy month to say the least.  Caty decided that she wanted to be a ballerina and pulled the whole costume out of her dress up box.  SCORE!!  And Hanna got to be a Pumpkin Fairy – a passed down costume from Caty – SCORE again!  Total cost of costumes= $0!!
Here are my two little pumpkins posing with their Potato Head Pumpkins.
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Ready for Trick-or-Treating
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Ready to go!
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Off to the neighbors first.  Don’t mind the blurry of the pictures, the girls were too fast for the camera. 
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Caty loved this house and it’s decorations.   031 035
Hanna liked Mickey as well as the snail that you can see crawling near by belt.  She like it so much that she picked the snail right off of him. 
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Me and my girls
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Scoping out Caty’s candy
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Hanna found the tootsie roll pops and wouldn’t let them go
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One happy girls with all her loot!
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