She's FOUR and ready to SOAR!

Still can't believe it. She's FOUR! My little bug is was born four years ago. It's amazing to me to see how far she has come in those four years, but I struggle to believe that all of those doctors appointments and therapies all fit in such a short period of time. Sometimes I think back and wonder how we did it all, but I'd rather just enjoy where we are now.

This year, the theme was MINIONS. And there were lots of them - some in balloon form, others in plush. Then, there were the edible ones that took a bit more time to prepare.

Mister Ryan made the cupcakes. Yes, those are Twinkies with sprinkles for hair.

Mommy made the cake.

While she still wasn't interested in the cake or even the frosting, she seemed to enjoy the party. It was the first time we invited kids her age to come so I know that was special to her. It was nice for her to see her friends outside of school.

Once the party was over, it was nap time. During her nap, I opened all her presents and got them ready for her. Once she woke up, she was surrounded by her gifts and had so much fun! What a wonderful day for such a wonderful young lady!

She is growing "UP" so fast...

For Emma's third birthday, I had another one of my crazy ideas of how I could go a little overboard on her party to make it fun and special. I am aware that my sanity could easily be measured with a yard stick at times, but this birthday was a big one for Emma Lee and me.

Before I had my daughter, doctors had very few comforting things to say about the chances she would have. I was told of the high likelihood that she would struggle, if she survived the pregnancy at all, and that there was little chance for her to even live to see her third birthday. Almost all of the things the doctors told me that she would be unlikely be able to achieve, she has done. This birthday marked the last of those predictions she had left to prove the doctors wrong on - and she did just that with the grace of someone far more poignant than any toddler should be at such a young age. I look at her and see her smile light up that beautiful face, and can't help but be filled with pride and love.

So when it came to deciding what to do for her big birthday, I had the idea of doing an "Up" themed party based on the Pixar movie that I loved and she enjoyed as well. I started thinking about how I could line the ceiling with balloons and put clouds on the walls to make it look like the movie. I started searching for more ideas and found myself on Pinterest where there were hundreds of pins. A bit overwhelmed, I began to search Etsy - a place I love to shop for wonderful gifts and special items. I found a couple of items there, and then my creative juices began to flow with other ideas of what I could do. I started to make a list so that I wouldn't forget any of them. Then it was time to see about putting all the ideas together and getting to work to make them a reality.

Lucky for me, I have a few people willing to help make my ideas a reality. We cleaned up the house and decorated a little all week, but we pulled it off. That morning, we blew up 300 balloons and set everything up and got Emma dressed in her birthday outfit just in time (with less than a couple minutes before guests started to arrive). Everyone enjoyed snacks and punch while taking turns putting their colorful thumb print on Emma's birthday canvas. Once that was done and everyone had their own personal "Ellie" badge, it was time to open the presents. 

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BALLOONS!

Ellie Badges

Birthday Girl

Emma got lots of great presents and even wanted to see them when I unwrapped them for her. This is new for her as she has not always been so comfortable with new things. So we played with some tissue paper and some of the presents a little before it was time for dessert. In keeping with her "cupcake" theme from previous years, I opted to make different color frostings and make them into balloons. A few cotton balls for clouds, a blue table cloth, a print out of the house from the movie cut out, and a couple little characters, and the scene was set!

After the party, it was nap time... for both of us! Once everyone was rested up, or at least she was, it was off to Fair Park to see the Chinese Lantern Festival! She loved seeing the bright, beautiful lanterns - especially the ones that she recognized like the flower, the fish, and the bug.

Once we got home, half the balloons from her party that morning were on the floor and she wanted to play with them. So we started tossing the balloons on her and she would reach for them, grab one, and tell us what color it was. Then she would go after another and tell us what color it was. But after about fifteen minutes of balloon fun, it was time to go to bed. So we read one of her new books she got for her birthday, and one of her favorites as well. Then it was time to sleep.

I've just about got everything cleaned up now (although there are still clouds on the wall in the living room and banners lining the hallway), but I'm so happy it went so well. Even if my fingers still have blisters that are healing from tying balloons... I love making wonderful memories with my munchkin!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Cupcake!

It is hard to fathom that I have been a mother to this beautiful baby girl for more than seven hundred and thirty days; but since we celebrated her second birthday this past Thursday, it must be true. On the morning of her birthday, she saw her pediatrician for her wellness check. She weighed in at twenty-six pounds two ounces and measured thirty-five and a half inches long! While these measurements were great, there was one measurement that was even better. The circumference of her head reached the normal range and is on the curve! Her doctor and I both felt that she would be close to reaching the normal curve around this age based on her progress at her last wellness check six months ago, and she did. Considering where she started on the growth chart, this is a huge accomplishment for her. After all the normal checking gave her doctor no cause for concern, it was time for Emma to have her last vaccine until age four and a little blood taken from her heel. Before that appointment, she had never cried from any shot or blood draw. Thankfully, she continued to keep the nurses guilt free by only making a not-so-happy face. But, as always, she was quick to forgive and smiling when she left.

Now, we have to work on her saying "two" as well as holding up two fingers when asked "how old are you?" Not quite doing it yet, but she'll get there soon. I won't complain, as she has accomplished so much in the last six months. Just this past week on Tuesday, she was almost standing under her own power during physical therapy (PT). Thinking about having a mobile Emma is beyond exciting for me, but I'm sure eventually I will also be nervous as it will mean more baby proofing and some bumps and bruises. My goal for her this year was to be mobile in some way so she is definitely getting closer, and it is only February. Until then, my "mommy arms" will just get more toned.

Birthday girl dressed and ready to celebrate.

The evening of her birthday, she went out to dinner with my step-mom and me. She was the most adorable girl there in her little outfit. Now that she can sit in a high chair at a restaurant on her own, it is so much more clear that she really is getting to be a big girl. I couldn't believe she was almost three feet tall when they measured her at her pediatrician appointment, but when you stretch the little ball of legs out, that's what you get. After dinner, she was up a little later than usual as she stayed awake this year for the whole story I told her at bedtime. Just like last year on her birthday, I told her the full story of the day she was born (the parts I remember and the parts others have filled in for me). She seemed to enjoy it as we snuggled up in my mother's rocking chair that I have in her nursery. But, inevitably, the time came to put my baby girl to bed for the first time as a two year old.

Friday night was a busy night for us as well. We played with her birthday toys and made sure we had everything ready for the big party on Saturday afternoon. The party was going to be at her godmother's house just like last year; but, to make it easier for us, we decorated their house the weekend before so that was mostly done. I also opted not to bake Emma a giant cupcake as her main cake since that took several hours to bake and cool last year. Instead, although I still did some regular cupcakes (had to do that since her nickname is "cupcake"), her main cake was a small round double layer cake with an elephant on top. The theme this year was elephants, which seemed fitting since that is what her bedroom has everywhere. Her birthday outfit was clean and ready for her as were all her accessories. The rest would have to be done in the morning. Luckily, most everything was already at her godmother's house, so it was just a matter of packing up the cupcakes, her food and milk, and us.

On Saturday, I baked the cupcakes and then we packed up and headed over for the party after we had breakfast. We played and decorated until lunch. After she ate, it was nap time. While she slept, we put the finishing touches on everything and got it all ready for the guests to arrive. When guests started to arrive, my little munchkin was still asleep so I went and woke her up for her party. She wasn't too sure about the tutu she had on, but she seemed to like all of the attention. After most of the guests arrived and she had greeted them, she sat down on the floor and played with her toys that we brought over to show how strong she had become over the last year.

My precious baby girl in her birthday outfit.

Next, it was present time! Emma continued to sit on her own next to me while I opened her presents for her and showed her all the wonderful gifts people brought for her. She got some of the most adorable clothes as well as some great toys. She even got some gift cards for diapers which I was just as grateful for as the rest. After the gifts, it was time for cake. I helped Emma blow out the candles on her cake, and then she happily watched everyone else enjoy the cupcakes. She still wasn't a fan of cake yet, but we did try it again just to be sure. Maybe next year...

After the party was over and everyone was gone, I filled the back of my SUV with all of her delightful gifts and left over cupcakes. By the time we got home, it was dinner time for me and almost time to bathe her. After her dinner and some much needed snuggle time, I put her down for the night. I couldn't help being so proud of her for doing so well with such a busy day. Emma continues to show me she can make me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside no matter what else may be going on in our lives. I am so lucky to have her!

Beads of Courage

Cupcake

For Emma's first birthday, I wanted to get her something special that she would have for the rest of her life. I didn't want something that she could wear and outgrow or even a stuffed animal that she would love until she outgrew that as well. I wanted something unique that would show her how proud of her I was, but also be special for her first birthday.

I had already decided on the theme of her birthday party - cupcake! I made several dozen cupcakes in normal and mini sizes for the guests. But the centerpiece was Emma's birthday cake - a massive cupcake that took over an hour to bake!

That cake could have fed more than twice the number of guests at her party.

 

The guest of honor in her ridiculous cupcake outfit that I couldn't resist.

 

She did not like the cake, but she was a good sport about trying it.

But even though I had her party all planned out, I still hadn't come up with that special gift. So I started looking through the Facebook page of Children's Medical Center for inspiration. And then I found just what I was looking for... Beads of Courage!

What are Beads of Courage?

Beads of Courage are ways for children to own their stories. Each bead that they have is related to a time that they had to summon up the courage to overcome a medical challenge they had to face. They are symbols of the stages in their lives that they faced and have been able to conquer.

Now I had a mission: to find a cupcake bead. I went to the Beads of Courage website and found they had an online gallery where you could purchase the beautiful beads. I began to look through the ornate, hand-made beads hoping that there was a cupcake out there. As luck would have it, there was one!!! It was listed at $15 with an option to have it turned into a pendant for an additional $6. I couldn't believe it!!! I had the perfect gift for my little cupcake.



Emma's first Bead of Courage.

This bead would represent the surgery she had when she was just two days old that saved her life. I ordered it on January 17th and couldn't wait to get it! Her birthday (February 7th) came and went with still no bead. I contacted them inquiring if they knew where the little cupcake was. In a crazy mix up, her bead accidentally shipped to the wrong address, but the recipient was kind enough to return it so it could be sent to me. After much anticipation, it arrived on March 15th. I didn't get to give it to her on her actual birthday, but I'm sure, in the years to come, she will enjoy the story of how her special bead had to travel great distances to get to her.

The next time Emma needs surgery for her shunt, she will be getting another bead from her Mama. I know it is not a matter of "if", but "when" she has to have another surgery because shunts have a extremely high failure rate - approximately 50% fail in two years. I am currently on the lookout for a blue elephant bead to buy and have on hand to give her after her next surgery. Her room is blue and full of elephants so I think that would be the next best bead for my little miracle.

What can you do?

The Beads of Courage is currently hosting their Inaugural National Bead Challenge Event on September 15th from 10am-4pm. There are eight participating studios in eight different cities. The company I work for has sponsored an hour of the event in honor of Emma. If you want to donate to the cause, you can find more information here.