Blake Carving Pumpkins

Ready to start

Blake has no idea what pumpkin guts look like

Pumpkin guts are GROSS

and SLIMY

But I will help take the pieces off from the outside

Blake got to help Mommy and Daddy carve pumpkins this year!! He was really excited to get started, but got nervous when he saw and felt the pumpkin guts! He and his sister get to paint their pumkins!!!

Busy Busy Busy

Bath Time

Blake and Alexia

Holding Alexia's hand while she gets her second flu shot

At the Omaha Children's Museum with a friend

Blake's first visit to the Omaha Children's Museum

Blake has been enjoying the things that most kids take for granted. He got to go to the Omaha Children's Museum for the first time. We planned on taking him a lot, but he was diagnosed with Leukemia and was unable to go until now. His immune system is doing great now and he has received his vaccinations for both the flu and H1N1. Both vaccinations were in shot form as they do not give the mist to high risk patients and both vaccinations were necessary since someone on chemo is considered high risk.

Blake really enjoyed playing at Children's museum with one of our family friends and his baby sister!

Blake and Alexia have been playing together a lot lately. I have never seen such a devoted, kind big brother or such an adoring little sister. We are so blessed to have both of them in our lives and are amazed every day at how well they interact with each other. I really hope they continue to be close throughout their lives.

Blake loves his Grandma and Me day once a week when he gets to spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa without anybody else. Last week it was nice enough for them to go to the playground together and Blake talked about it for days. He is also very excited to dress up for Halloween. He picked out his own costume and can't wait to go to Trunk or Treat!!!

We have also been putting this announcement off until we were completely sure, but Blake is completely potty trained!!!! He would have accomplished this goal MUCH earlier in his life, but because of the side effects of some of his medications and because of the heavy fluids he got through an IV through the last few months, we had some setbacks. We were told that the same things happen to older kids who are undergoing chemotherapy, so this is just one of those things that comes with the territory. Either way we are SO PROUD of our big boy! He was able to overcome all of the obstacles!!!

Fun Family Day at the Farm

Blake showing off his BIG BOY muscles

Blake is SO tall and VERY pretty

Picking the "Mommy" pumpkin

Cuddling Daddy on the Hayrack Ride

Hanging out with his cowboy friend
Blake had a great time going to the farm to pick out family pumpkins!!! He picked out the mommy, Blake and Alexia pumpkins!!! The only pumpkin we have left to pick out is the daddy pumpkin, which we will do at Vala's this weekend!!! Blake is really excited to fling apples again this year and we are excited that he is able to go!!! He has been SO healthy lately! Aside from occasional allergies he has been perfect!!! His counts are so good that he is able to do so many things he couldn't do while he was in intensive therapy. We are happy he is on maintenance, but will be even happier once he is completely cured!!! WHICH brings us to another exciting event!!! Make-a-Wish contacted us and Blake got to make his wish!!! We are not going to say what his wish was until everything is finalized, but we are so excited that Make-a-Wish has chosen to brighten up Blake's life at such a difficult time for him.

Blake had a lot of fun working with his wish granters to decide what his wish was and luckily it was all up to him!!! Mommy and daddy didn't have to make any decisions for him!!!

So many Firsts and other exciting news!!!

Alexia's First Hayrack Ride

Fun Fun

Race for the Cure

Getting ready to race

Helping Grandma

Ready to go

Eating out YUM YUM

She loves Grandma's house!!


So many things happen so quickly and we are so lucky to be here to witness it all!!! Alexia is growing by leaps and bounds and although she is not quite 9 months old (10 more days!!!!) she has been walking quite a bit!!! We were hoping she would hold off until she was 9 months old, but she has pretty much mastered the art of walking. She also visited her first farm with a pumpkin patch and other fun attractions. She got to ride on the hayrack ride for the first time and also helped pick out her very first pumpkin!!!

Alexia loves her "Girl's Day" alone with Grandma once each week!!! She loves to help Grandma cook and clean and she also loves to read with Grandma!!!

It is so amazing to see all that she has accomplished!!! She chatters up a storm lately!! Her most common words are "ma-ma", "book", "ball", "bratha" (Brother), "more" "that" and "look". She occasionally says other things, but the words I listed are the words she uses more and uses in context.

Alexia waves and says "hi" when she sees someone and waves and says "bye-bye" when they leave, she also blows kisses and gives high fives. She hugs and kisses us all now and is becoming quite a daddy's girl!!!

We are quite impressed by what our big girl has accomplished already, but wouldn't mind if she slowed down a little bit!!! She is growing up so fast.

Busy Weeks

Blake on the scooter

Daddy helping Blake

Daddy teaching Blake

Tickle Tickle

LOVE

Getting ready to eat

LOVE
We have been super busy! Time flies by and we are loving every moment of it!!! Fall is full of fun things to do as a family!!! We are so blessed to have each other and to have our wonderful, supportive family!!! We have extended family time at least 3 days a week! The kids love to see Grandma and Grandpa and Great Grandma also!!! We got the kids' pictures taken professionally for the first time since Blake was diagnosed and since Alexia was born!!! The kids did great!!! We can't believe how beautiful the pictures turned out!!! So all of our great friends and family can expect pictures to be delivered to you soon!!!! :) We will post more on each child on each of their blogs!!!