Have a happy heart!

I was so happy after I spoke to the neurology clinic on Wednesday! They said that PP's brain was tumor-free and looked just fine. What a relief! Now we could enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday without having to discuss depressing topics. However, the big gathering we attended on Thanksgiving day got a little too big and busy for PP so it was a relatively short visit. I wished we could have stayed longer, but it turned out to be a very special family night for the three of us at home!

PP is a very particular girl when it comes to EVERYTHING! She lives on a routine and can only handle a limited amount of energizing activities at once. I was worried that we would be in this tricky situation before we even went to dinner; PP has been having difficulty lately with going into places where there are a bunch of people. She had troubles like this earlier in the year, but towards the end of summer she seemed to be improving her tolerance of animated environments. Since she has been going to preschool I can tell that the change in routine just on the weekend throws her mood slightly off balance. Thankfully, PP is entering her fourth week of preschool on Monday and I have a good feeling about it.

It has been such a treat to watch PP grow. She is so different than she was a year ago! This time last year, PP could not walk. She started walking this past Spring so this will be her first year of grabbing her own presents from under the tree, helping Mama and Papa decorate, and maybe playing the dice game at the Babcock Family X-Mas! Last year, PP didn't really play in the snow. There wasn't much snow to speak of and I was apprehensive about bringing her outside to play for various reasons. This year, we have less than an inch of snow that has stuck around and PP has already gone out to play in it twice!

She is an adventurous little lady. I can't wait to bring her sledding. 

 PP was a bit unsure about the snow pants...

...but she got over it quickly! She loves the snow!

Going Christmas shopping for her this year will be even more fun than it was last year! Now she is more able to tell me what she wants and I have a really good gist of her taste in toys and clothing. She likes to dress fancy, with glittery shirts or a tutu over tights, and she likes to pretend to be Mama. She likes to grab a broom and push it around while I do dishes, bang pots and pans together, to watch her reflection in the oven door while making goofy faces, to dance and read, wear bracelets and hats and purses, she loves anything that is outside. PP loves to look at real-live babies, dig her fingers into houseplants, and eat anything that is crunchy and/or chocolate. I could go on and on about her cute new personality traits for the fact that I have watched a tiny, sick and helpless baby turn into a very strong, energetic and happy kid in a mere three years. It is super duper awesome!

If only we could get more snow on the ground to get some of that energy out...

Chilly cheekies and toasty toesies
XoX

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving wishes to everyone!

I'm happy to be thankful for everything and everyone in my life, but I wanted to explore the giving side to the holiday this year.

Some of my attempts at giving didn't go as planned, well, none of them went as planned but that's why it's a fun story to tell! Seeing the date at the top of my computer reminds me that it IS Thanksgiving, and I've got baking and eating activities to tend to, so I'll make it short.

The funniest escapade on my giving journey through this time of year was being a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. I stood outside of my neighborhood Cub Foods for two hours ringing a bell and wishing everyone a happy holiday. It went smoothly, for the most part. The other bell ringers in the area were definitely friendly and eccentric. An older gentleman who was ringing the bell at the opposite door asked me to dinner, but I delightfully declined with a chuckle. Even the people who weren't bell ringing, but would be doing so in the near future, wanted to strike up a conversation with me. I talked about ringing bells, the weather, and how people are driving crazy for the entire duration! I almost got hit by an elderly man driving a van so I cracked wise with customers. The whole reason behind wanting to involve myself in this madness was an attempt to improve some of my social skills with complete strangers and to do a little volunteering because I miss it! Also, I seem to be forced to make a new friend every freaking day, so I need to be better at not letting my nerves make me sound like I have peanut butter in my mouth.

So there's my jab at giving.

My next jab involves crocheting and babies. Stay tuned!

I am also happy to announce that PP does NOT have anything wrong with her brain. Structurally, it is as fit as a fiddle! Thank you, ALL OF YOU, who kept us in your happy thoughts! Much love to y'all.


Hey, look at these pictures!

 We are a family of individuals!

 Waiting at the bus stop is a thrill!

Soaking up the summer sun on a bridge 

in the middle of nowhere! 

I am most thankful for the feeling of a special moment, while I might forget the event I won't ever forget the love! 

Eat turkey and be merry

XoX

I've got bats in my belly.

PP is a rockstar. She makes Mama proud every day! She is doing so well in school, playing and sharing with classmates and forming sweet relationships with her teachers. I couldn't dream of a more amazing daughter.

A 'big day' for PP can mean many different things, but tomorrow is a whole different kind of 'big day'.

I'm not usually one to be frightened of a 'big day', but I suppose my time has come.

At 6:30AM, PP will be put under general anesthesia for her second MRI scan. She had one when she was a month old, which showed nothing out of the ordinary. This MRI is a big deal because we have something to look for, which is a brain tumor. The technical term for this particular tumor is a Hypothalamic Hamartoma.

This type of tumor causes gelastic seizures. Although the neurologist isn't convinced that she has this type of Epilepsy, I told him that I will not take the chance of overlooking any information that may be helpful in figuring out PP just because it doesn't fit perfectly.

I haven't been very vocal about this procedure. I have not mentioned it to family or friends because it is very difficult for me to talk about. I know I would start to cry if I talked about it with anyone besides Papa Chris, and I don't want anyone to worry about our sweet little family. I've become accustomed to keeping a stone face in the light of terror, sometimes even smiling, because I know that everything will be OK. Thankfully, I am not the first person to go through this process and all of the stories I've read say that when this tumor is discovered it is completely curable. However, I've only read the good stories so as not to scare myself.

Read Jadyn's story.

So, this type of tumor is curable, what is there to worry about? For one, I am Mama Lace so there is always something to worry about when it comes to my baby. Two, it's a possibility of a brain tumor. Albeit a benign tumor, the stress comes from the fact that tumors and cancer can go hand in hand. Cancer runs on both sides of our family, including terminal brain cancer. Weaver syndrome by itself can cause cancers and tumors simply because it is an overgrowth syndrome; cells have more room to grow out of control and wreak havoc. I worry that we are on a slippery slope to more doctors visits and aggressive treatment methods. Thirdsies, I hate anesthesia and the thought of someone potentially sticking something into PP's brain to remove a growth is...well... do I really need to put it into words?

With that said, I feel obligated to reinforce the notion that PP is a fighter. With the recent passing of her third birthday I did a lot of reminiscing. Since the day PP was born she's had to fight for everything. She battled the odds against her and has come a long, long way. The doctors who take care of PP fight the battle alongside her. Mama and Papa are the horses to her chariot, always ready to meet the scary stuff face to face. I know that she will be alright.

Just to be on the safe side, please send us as much positive energy as you can conjure.

Keep calm and be fierce
XoX

This is a (cover) tune I could never grow tired of, listen and ask yourself "WHERE IS MY MIND?!" 

Penelope's (and Mama's) BIG DAY!

PP WENT TO HER FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL TODAY!

We have been preparing her for this day for a couple weeks by showing pictures of her teachers and talking about going on buses and playing with new people, whether that made a difference I have no idea. I think I was doing it for myself as well, because I needed a bit of coddling to feel comfortable with this new transition.

I mean, really, I put my two (almost three) year old on a bus with people whom we have never met to go to a school she's been to twice. That's freaking banana crazy. There's a bunch of reasons to run the other way screaming 'YOU PEOPLE ARE NUTS! I AM KEEPING MY BABY!', but those are completely my own silly reasons.

I needed to take a step back and remind myself that although this method of schooling doesn't fit for most kids, my girl has special needs. If it weren't for the Early Intervention program, little PP wouldn't be as successful as she is today. PP started using Early Intervention services when she was a month old! So technically, she's been in 'school' since she was a very tiny baby. Through the years I have seen the school system provide amazing opportunities for PP, so when the time came to make a decision about preschool it seemed only natural that she keep moving forward! The key aspect of school is to keep challenging a child so they have no option but to be the best little person they can be! The multitude of surprises along the way are thrilling.

I was very pleasantly surprised with how PP handled this brand new experience. She is so ready to learn and try new things. She showed her Mama today that worrying is for cuckoos because she didn't cry when I got off the bus after buckling her in to the seat and her teachers wrote really wonderful things about her in the parent/teacher communication book. She colored in a picture of a turkey for goodness sake! She hardly colors at home with me. I can already see that she is using her signs a little more purposefully, and she seems to have forgotten all about her sprained ankle! School is really, REALLY cool!

I feel like I've definitely earned a little break every day, but I surely won't let the time go to waste. Today I used my time wisely, gathering the things I need to celebrate PP's third birthday on Sunday with a whole bunch of family and friends! What the rest of the school days will entail for me, I'm not sure, but I have some really delightful ideas in mind. Next week my schedule is open almost every day! FINALLY! It feels so fuzzy and sweet when hard work pays off!

Positive vibes and big smiles TO ALL OF MY LOVELY READERS!
XoX

PS- I will stick some adorable photos up as soon as I can, but silly frizzy Mama Lace borrowed GG's camera and forgot to get the sync cord from her! D'OH!