Summer is almost over!!

Blake with his Mater teeth sucker

Blake and Lex putting the rope up at the pool

Swimming

The whole family swimming

Well the end of summer is fast approaching and we are all VERY excited for fall!  We love apple orchard season, pumpkin patch season and of course getting dressed up for Harvest Festivals and Trunk or Treat!!! 

We have enjoyed the summer.  The pool has been fun the times we have all been able to go and both kids have learned a lot as far as swimming goes!  Blake swims under water now and Alexia is very close to swimming as well.  It is crazy how fast the kids are growing up.

Blake is enjoying being one of the oldest kids in preschool this year!  He will start Kindergarten Fall of 2012 since he will not be 5 until August 30th and he deserves an extra year to play and have fun before he starts all the seriousness of school.  Once the kids start school they have at least 12 years of school, so it doesn't hurt to wait a while for them to start.

Alexia's Day at the Hospital with Blake and Mommy

Alexia did really well at the hospital.  Becky, Blake's nurse, did her weight and height along with Blake's so she would not feel left out.  Alexia weighs 35 lbs and is 3 feet 1 1/2 inches tall!!!!  She is such a tall girl!!!! 

She missed Blake while he was in the OR and recovery, but she certainly charmed all of the nurses and other hospital staff.  She held Blake's hand to help him feel better when they accessed his port and when they took the tape off the port at the end of the day.  She is such a loving little sister.  She cares very much about people and it is so sweet to watch her interact with others!!!! 

At some point we will find our camera charger and post pictures again! 

Hospital Day= Spinal Tap and Chemo

We can't find our camera charger, so there are no pictures to accompany this update, but I wanted to give an update on how Blake's treatment is going!  Blake had a spinal tap with routine chemo and pentamidine treatment (the pentamidine helps to prevent Pneumocystis pneumonia).  He weighed in at 54 lbs and is 3 ft 8 1/2 inches tall!  Even with the chemo (which can cause growth to be stunted) he is still taller than most kids his age!!! 

Blake made it through his spinal tap with no issues, did great with his breating treatment (they give that to him in recovery since Alexia and mommy can not be in the room with him when he gets the treatment) and recovered well.  He was happy to eat his meal, then we (Blake, Alexia and Mommy) headed to the new infusion center.  We were in and out of there pretty quickly and with a little upset over having the tape removed (he has never liked that tape) we got to head home after only 6 hours at the hospital.  That is a pretty quick and uneventful day for us at the hospital. 

Blake's ANC is at 1550, which is lower than his usually is (usually in the 2500-3000 range), but is still really good for a kid who is taking chemo every day.  He started his week of steroids and took a nice long nap when we got home. 

Blake's 4th of July 2011

 Blake and Lex

 Blake and Mommy

 Blake taking a nap

Blake had a great 4th of July!!!  He enjoyed the morning at Mama and Papa's house, then went to Uncle Liam and Aunt April's house.  He took a nice walk with April's Grandma and spent quality time with Mama Corinne and Great Mama Donna!!!  He had fun talking to Uncle Liam! 

After dinner Blake went with Mommy, Uncle Rodney, Aunt Marysol, Uncle Liam and Aunt April to set off fireworks.  Of course Blake was not allowed to set off any fireworks, but he had fun sitting and watching all the cool fireworks!!!  Blake really enjoyed it though and even now, a few days later, he is still talking about it!!!  He is a lot of fun!  It is hard to believe he is almost 5-years-old!!!  

Alexia's 4th of July

Lex is the 4th of July Princess

 Lex with Papa Mark!!!! 

 Lex and Mama Corinne

 Everyone is watching Lex!!!

The morning of July 4th Mommy and Daddy both had to work, so Blake and Alexia spent the morning with Mama Corinne and Papa Mark.  As soon as mommy got off work we met up at Mama and Papa's house and loaded up the cars and headed to Uncle Liam and Aunt April's house.  It was so much fun to see the family and to meet Aunt April's grandparents!!!  They were very nice and interesting people!!!  We wish they did not live so far away, it would be nice to see them more often!!!

Uncle Liam grilled for the first time!!!  He was great at it, the burgers, hot dogs and corn were great!!!  All the dishes people brought were really yummy!!!  We really had a wonderful time and could not have asked for a more perfect day/evening for the 4th of July!!! 

4th of July Weekend

Lex is ready to head out to the zoo

 Lex and Blake with their cousins

 On the SkyFari with Mommy

 Sitting by the butterfly pavillion

 In the Aquarium

 Playing in the water outside the Gorilla house



Alexia loved seeing her cousins.  She is still pretty young, so she doesn't remember people as well as Blake does, but she has seen them a few times lately, so she remembered them!  She had fun playing play-do with them and just hanging out.

Lex is very excited about the new baby.  The other day she ran up to me and said, "My baby!".  Thinking she was talking about one of her dolls I said, "Where is your baby?"  She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Mommy's tummy!".  It is amazing how much kids pick up on!!!  I didn't think it was really registering with her that there was a new baby in my tummy, but it is.  She now listens to my tummy and tries to talk to the baby!!!  She reminds me a lot of how Blake was when I was pregnant with her (Alexia)!!!  

4th of July Weekend

Blake at the Zoo with his cousins

 Blake and one of his cousins on the SkyFari

 Getting ready to eat lunch

 Watching fireworks

Travis sister and brother-in-law and our three nieces visited over the 4th of July weekend.  It was very nice to see all of them!  The kids all had a great time at the zoo!!!  Zoo days make everyone tired though, so Blake and Lex took long naps when we got home!  Lots of good times were had over the weekend and we were sad to see them go.  Blake loved watching fireworks and near the end of the display he said, "Happy Birthday America!" 

He sure makes us proud!!!