Genetics!

Every Genetics appointment with Merritt, my mind instantly went back to my college genetics class.  Chromosomes are just insanely interesting to me.   Its like a map of who you are physically!  Dr. F has been following her since she was born.  The amnio I had done when I was 20 weeks pregnant could only detect the major chromosome abnormalities.  There were several other syndromes that we had to wait for a blood test to prove after she was born.  

What a way to celebrate this Thanksgiving:  she is normal!  

(we thought that all along, but to get verified blood proof of it is still amazing).  

I've been sweating the last 4 weeks just a little bit, because you can't change chromosomes.  They can put organs back inside a body, they can even fix a hole in your heart, but they can't fix chromosomes.  And that's always scary to me.  

Anyway - I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving.  For once I feel like Merritt's "rough beginnings" are coming to an end.  I know her journey is ongoing - but maybe we're finding a new peace and a new normal now.  

We have so much to be thankful for I can't even begin to list them all.  Mostly, I am thankful for the Mighty Healer, Our God.  My heart goes out to all of you who are still praying for some sort of healing, whether its physical or emotional, etc.  I will pray for you.  I am reminded of Mercy Me's song "The Hurt and the Healer".  It reminds me that things could have turned out differently, and I will be forever changed, grateful, and thankful.  

"O come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."  Psalm 95:1-2

GOBBLE GOBBLE!  her 1st Thanksgiving.  (9lbs12oz.)

Oh Yes I Did!

Saw these TeePee Cupcakes on Pinterest (as many of you did I'm sure).  The link for idea/tutorial is HERE.  But I can add a major list of sidenotes from my own experience to these directions!  My only assignment for MC's Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast was cupcakes.  Yeah I think I can handle that! lol!  Well, I was going to do turkeys but saw these and decided they looked more fun.  

Carrie's Footnotes:
1)  Buy SUGAR cones.  NOT WAFFLE cones........................6 boxes later...
2)  Buy KROGER brand.  Not brand name Keebler.  Those began to "unwrap" in the oven. And they are smaller than generic.  
3)  The upside down aluminum pan did not work for me.  See my invention using my CorningWare in picture below.  
4)  My oven on REGULAR bake setting did not work for me = burnt cones.
5)  CONVECTION setting on the oven worked like a charm.
6)  Check for holes in the cones.  Or you will have an empty cone 15 minutes later. hehe.
7)  Cute? Absolutely.  Tedious?  a tad bit.  Worth it in taste? No.  Worth it in creativity? Yes.  Messy? you bet.  Will the kids love it? I can only hope.  
8)  The cupcake WILL fall out while dipping the bottoms.  good luck with that.
9)  And the lady is serious when she says "use scissors".  There is no knife in my kitchen that will do what you want it to do.  Scissors.  Who knew.

Aluminum pan + Waffle cones = COLOSSAL failure!  I took this right before they all toppled over.

That's more like it (my own invention).  Minus the waffle cone part.

Yep.  A hole will give you mistake #1001.

Epic failure on the right with waffle cones.  Lovely little teepees on the left.

It's a TEEPEE cupcake!  They should really be called cake-bite though.  There's literally 2 small bites of actual cake inside. 

My little Indian village

Let's top it off with some ACORNS in case they don't like the cupcakes. lol!  These are so easy even Mattox helped make them.  

You Spin Me Round

I'm gonna call it the Miley Rollercoaster.  Yep.  This week has been nuts.  let me give you the SHORT version and I think you'll get the idea of what's in between the lines.

Mati Claire vomits .....  then goes slipping and sliding in it ... hits her toe on the cabinet while sliding ... toe is bleeding ... Mattox has diarrhea and bleeding gums from teething ... yeah, his last 2 molars ... Merritt is just fussy for no reason ... ahhh.  Just breathe.  or wait, maybe it was that mexican food I ate ... so I have all 3 at home with me and can't get anything done because all 3 want me to rock them ... yeah, um, I only have 2 arms and 1 lap ... did I mention it was his LAST 2 teeth (what's better than a hallelujah?) ...  MC is literally bouncing off the walls this morning so I send her to school ... and Mattox to MDO ... Merritt has a cardiology appt ... Hole #2 of 3 has closed... what's better than a hallelujah again? ... the big VSD is still getting smaller.  To God be the glory!... Just shows me that He is the Healer ... again ... that child is nothing short of ANOTHER miracle ... Mattox does #2 in the potty all by himself...  oh praise Jesus ...  Mati Claire throws up again ... I cut out cokes in attempt to begin my weight loss strategy ... got some major Christmas shopping done online ...... and man its only Tuesday.

4 months old!

Might be a boring post.  Sorry.  I'm mentally and physically exhausted.

Punkin is 4 months old!!!!! How did that happen?  She still looks like a big newborn, so in my mind, she still is.  She acts, sleeps, eats, and does everything else like a newborn.  She's working on holding her head up, but with 2 maniac older siblings, she doesn't get alot of tummy time -- or any time in the floor for that matter.  I am working on stopping what I am doing and trying to devote more time for this.

She is more interactive and is starting to smile alot!  That's worth everything in the world to me!  And boy, oh, boy does she look like Mati Claire!  I'll be changing her diaper - and my mind just goes back in time - I forget who I'm dealing with.  So far, my favorite thing to do is change her diapers.  Why you say?  Because as strange as this is... I get to move her tiny little fat roll on her thighs to clean her up!  Weird - but it makes me smile every time!  It's the little things, people!

She has her cardiology check up this week, so I was going to wait to post these pics, but couldn't help myself.  She's too darn cute.  She weighs 9 lbs. 7 oz.  Wears Size 1 Diapers and finally bumped up to 0-3 month size clothes... but not 3 months size.  The most she'll sleep at night is 5 hours (and that's rare).  

Matt and I would love to have more kids.  Crazy I know!  But sometimes I think God is stretching out this newborn phase so that I can soak up every minute of it... because maybe she's the last.  Only He knows.  And as much as I complain about not getting any sleep, I love this stage.  They are only this little for a short while.

On Facebook, people will post what they are thankful for every day for the entire month of November.  Don't get me wrong - I'm all in favor of this.  But I have more than 30 things to be thankful for.  And I thank God for them every single day.  Here's a picture of the top of my list this year:

She is really discovering her surroundings - and was fascinated by the flowers on her feet.  

Wanted to show yall a different angle of her hernia/O.  Sometimes the pictures make it look bigger than it is. 

I'm under the impression that I'm not suppose to any video footage of yesterday, but I think I'm allowed to post the still-shot pictures.  Mati Claire had Parent's Day at Ballet yesterday.  Ahhh... loved it!  Of course I didn't read the parent rules until today - I wasn't suppose to take my flash camera in and there I was snapping away!  For those of you that don't know, we changed her ballet school this year.  New teacher, new school, new rules, and obviously it has paid off!  She is learning alot!

MC, Brooke, and Wellsley

Pique 1, pique 2! 

Check out that first position!