Results are rolling in . .

About a month ago we started getting reports from Atlanta. It has been a bit of a crazy month trying to get all the doctors on the same page. Lots of brilliant men and there different opinions on top of them just being men has been almost more than I can handle. But thank goodness for our wonderful pediatrician that has spend literally hours on the phone with them all helping to keep them focused!

I will give a better update here in the next couple weeks. But in a nut shell they feel Sydney has something called GA type 1. There is a longer name, but I can't find the paper with it on there. Kids with that don't tend to have seizures. So we are being admitted to the hospital today and she is being hooked up to an EEG and having her meds removed so we can catch what we have known as seizures on a scan. I am guessing we'll be there for the week, and hope to be able to learn more about everything. There is possibly something besides the GA1 and this will be helpful to point out the needed direction for doctors to look.

We are feeling very blessed that all though we are cutting everything close to when this baby is coming we are getting so much information that is helpful to both Sydney and the baby.

Soccer

Carter has been loving soccer this season. He didn't play the last couple years so this has been fun to get back into. It's been fun to watch him get better every game!

4th of July

I was excited with the thought of Neil and Carter going camping for the weekend and Sydney and I would have a quiet weekend to play. So when I called my friend Dana to see if Neil could use there property she said they were going up and they so nicely invited us to join them. All the sudden going with the boys sounded a bit more appealing. So in 2 hours we rounded up our things and we were off. We headed up toward Heber Arizona. The first night was so fun, we did smores and the kids explored. Sydney went down great, but around 4:00am she was wide awake. Not wanting to wake the Shurtz I took her in the car. We sang, played an finally when Carter joined an hour later we turned to the signing time DVDs. It was sweet watching Carter with her!

A little after Carter joined us Neil popped his head in. We went on a couple long walks trying to not wake camp and finally went on a drive. They were having a parade later that day and it was crazy to see how many people had set up chairs and things the night before. So we set up the canopy and headed back to camp for a quick breakfast before heading back to the parade.

We waited for a couple hours, we got so bored we started yanking Carters teeth. But that was unsuccessful. The parade wasn't quite what we had expected, Carter was all excited about candy, but there wasn't any, lots of tractors and fire engines. It was fun, but I think we are good skipping it next time!

One of the first things Carter spotted when we got to camp was the little paint pellets on the ground. So when the girls pulled out the paint ball guns he had a hard time controlling his excitement.

Sydney joined in the fun!

Jackson is a natural!

Neil was probably as excited as Carter, but controlled it a little better!

Gary & Dana have a little trailer up there that was nice to be able to use when we needed. So making hobo dinners was easy. It was nice getting all the different tips on how to better the hobo dinner. Things like slicing the potatoes, and how to layer them. My advice thrown in was lots and lots of butter!

We have known Jackson since he was born. Claire was so excited to be an Aunt. On the first day of school it was a treat to get on the bus and Jackson was sitting there. So Sydney and Jackson are old friends.

One of the funnest things for me to watch was the sparklers. Lenea was so smart and brought them up. The kids loved them!

The view on the Shurtz property is perfect with the great fireworks show Heber puts on. It was a great show, the spot was perfect up on the hill! Sydney loved the fireworks. Before when we've gone she was too far away for the sound. They both loved watching them!

Gary and clan left after the fireworks, but we stayed for another night. The next morning was interesting watching Sydney explore, it was one of the first times I've noticed Sydney being interested in plants and flowers. She would lightly brush the plant with her fingers and watch it bounce back and forth. Little things like that are always fun to watch. After girls camp with Claire I felt like a negligent parent not having taken Carter crawdad hunting. I was determined and had even saved a hot dog for bate. But we couldn't find any! We tried.

We had a great weekend. It was so nice to go up with the Shurtz and clan. They are amazing, and so fun to be around!

It's A Girl!!!

We are having a girl. I keep running into friends that don't know we are expecting. So for those that don't know, we are expecting in the fall! Neil and I were sure it was a boy, with the way I was sick it was so much like with Carter, but after two times checking he isn't a he, he is a she. We are having a hard time with names, but in the end we'll have to figure one out!

I have had a couple people ask if it is possible for this baby to have what Sydney has. So for those that are wondering, we aren't sure yet. Until we find out what Sydney has we don't know. The Dr. in Atlanta said probably a 25 % chance, but there isn't anything we need to do now. So yes, that is there and when I think about it it is daunting, but Sydney is pure joy in our life, and we would do it again in a heart beat!

Thank You for the Fathers Day Gift

Chip & Pam were so nice and got Neil a shot vac for Fathers Day while they were here. As you can see it has gone to great use! Not only cleaning, but hours of entertainment, and hair styling.

Happy Fathers Day

It was a treat having Chip down for Fathers Day. Sandra invited everyone to her house for dinner. As always she had a wonderfully made dinner. There are some amazing Fathers we get to have in our life. We love them all and appreciate them!

Pam & Chip had to head out right after dinner. We were so grateful that they came!!!

Chip & Pam to the Rescue

So, Neil and I could have done the floor. I know it, but it would have taken us sooo long, it wouldn't have been done as well and I think our bodies to our marriage would have felt the strain. Not only was it nice to have them visit, it was such a HUGE help! Sydney mastered the stud finder. She watched us a couple times and then started doing it!

The kids loved having our bed in the family room for the weekend. They thought that was great fun!

Sydney loves when Grandma comes, she loves brushing her long hair.

THE FLOOR IS FINALLY DONE!!

Swim Team

Carter is a great little fish. I thought swim team would be good during the summer. SO a couple mornings a week he has this. After watching the first day and how many laps that little boy had to do I couldn't figure how I thought that would be fun. He did great, he never complained, placed in all different spots in his meets. Of course he is the most proud of his first in one meet doing the butterfly.

Grandma was here to watch his first meet!

Room Prep

One morning I woke up and realized I was sick of parking on the drive way and tromping through out garage full of molding, and flooring just sitting in the shade while the kids cooked as we got in the car everyday. So I encouraged Neil that we could do the floor, we'd just bam it out and it would be fine. Chip had taught us well, we could totally do it!! I didn't think he was listening much. So... much to my surprise my pep talk was better than I'd thought. I got home from work one night and he'd pulled up the carpet. I guess we are doing the floor!Funny how Neil kept calling Neil. I thought to find out how to do things, but later learned he was trying as hard as he could to get his folks down to help. I kept telling him we could do it, and I wasn't about to make his parents work on their hands and knees like we did before!

While Neil was out of town I figured with the carpet up and the molding off that would be the only time to paint. So my amazing sister came to the rescue. She was moving everything, and hated every minute being on the top of the latter taping the ceiling. Neil was successful at getting Pam & Chip to come down. They were bringing their spray gun.

Carter was my good helper with priming the wall!

We were ready! Thanks to the help of EVERYONE involved!

Peanut Buttter & More Peaut Butter

With Sydney's diet she can have half butter & half peanut butter. That is the only thing she is wanting to eat by mouth these days. Thanks so our wonderful feeding therapist Jenn we are learning lots of things to do with our reunited love with peanut butter.

Unfortunately with Sydney's diet if she is gaining or loosing too much weight the dietitian changes things. If any one has seen Sydney lately she is now on a cut back diet due to her too much love of peanut butter. She is still getting her peanut butter at every meal, things have just been adjusted.