Happenings from Mid February

Elle in physical therapy working her upper body strength using the bicycle

So this is the first of several back dated posts to catch us up through today...beginning with Valentine's Day. So on February 3 when we received the good news from Elle's cardiologist that we could start planning her 2nd birthday party...it hit me like a ton of bricks...Elle has 3 little girl friends. I did a mini mommy freak out and confided in my friend Ali that I was scared Elle doesn't know any other children. She is really only around children for a 1 hour a week gym class and then play dates with out friend Maddie who lives across the street. Ali got me the in on a moms and tots group and thanks to her good word...I was able to sign Elle and myself up. This group is seriously awesome...stuff to do every single day of the week. If Elle didn't have therapy every day we would be at these awesome play groups as much as we could possibly handle it! So....our first adventure with the group was a Valentine's Day party. I even canceled therapy for the day so Elle could attend and be around kiddos for a change. It was so much fun! We met some fun new people but we mostly hung out with Elle's friends...Maddie and Kayla.

trying to get three little girls to smile was a task in and of itself!

lee's valentines gift to Elle was a set of golf clubs...the girl LOVES them! Every day I hear "dadda golf...momma golf....outside." Music to my little ears!!

Elle and Kayla at the park during another fun play date with our new play group

Where did February go? I have so many more posts to get up and on the blog...it might just take me the month of March to get February caught hope...let's pray it doesn't!!

To Make A Donation for It's My Heart

To make a donation to our team for the It's My Heart Walk....or to join our team click on the link below:

It's My Heart

It should take you directly to our team's homepage. You can click on General Team Donation and it will take you to the donation website or you can choose to join our team as a walker.

Thank you for all your support! The more walkers....the merrier!!!

Gearing Up for the Heart Walk

February 3 we had Elle's check up with her cardiologist. Poor little girl knows what is going on and as soon as they opened the door for us to be called back, the screaming and crying began. We see her cardiologist at the same location she goes to therapy every single day so no one was prepared to see the usual happy little lady break down into massive tears. She's terrified of the blood pressure machine....so much so that the nurse couldn't even take it! After weight, height and oxygen saturation check...it was time for the echo. By this time she had calmed down and sat perfectly still for the echo...thanks to Elmo being played on the television. After the echo it was time to wait for her doctor. One of the nurses brought Elle a crown to wear since she did so good during the echo. Dr. W came in and gave us the news...Elle's heart has gotten worse since her last echo in September, but we definitely don't have to rush into the operating room. We can wait until late spring or early summer before we have to go back! Whoo hoo!! God has answered our prayers and has given us more time for Elle to grow bigger and stronger before her next surgery.

Elle and Lee waiting for Dr. W...yes....that is Elle's smile when you ask her to smile for the camera...

It was wonderful news to get right before Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (February 7 - February 14). I know I have posted it before but it is just staggering to think that nearly twice as many children die each year in the United States from Congenital Heart Defects as from all forms of childhood cancers combined. Yet funding for pediatric cancer research is 5x higher than funding for Congenital Heart Defects (source: It's My Heart website: Children's Heart Foundation). Right now, we are gearing up for the It's My Heart Fundraising Walk. I've had the countdown on the top of our blog for several months now and we are less than a week away from the big event! Next Saturday we will be walking on Team Elle's Angels and Witt's Warriors to benefit It's My Heart and help change the statistic written above.

Join Team Elle's Angels and Witt's Warriors!

Keep the Beat It's My Heart Awareness Walk

Sam Houston Park: Allen Parkway

1100 Bagby

Houston, Texas 77002

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Registration starts at 8:30 - 10:00am

Walk starts at 10:00am

Family fun day from 11:00am - 12:00pm

I attend a Beth Moore Bible study during the week. This past week she asked if we could sum up what God has done in our lives in just one sentence. I've thought about it all week and here's my sentence: Two years ago, God blessed us with a baby with broken heart and many other medical problems, but it is through HIS grace that we see the miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ on a DAILY BASIS!

Min Mou Jammies

Yesterday morning I experienced a first with my almost 2 year old little lady. As I was getting her dressed and ready for the day, I held up an outfit and said "Elle, it's time to get dressed." She looked directly at me and said "NO!"...all while shaking her little head. Her reaction kind of took me by surprise and so I asked (half laughing) what she intended to wear for the day. She opened up the drawer in her dresser that holds all her pjs.....fished around for a little bit and then came out holding a pajama top with Minnie Mouse on it. She held it up for me to see and proudly announced "Min Mou jammies." Alright...Minnine Mouse jammies it was!

I just had to share these pictures...Elle and Lee hitting golf balls....or rather Lee hitting golf balls and Elle cheering him on