Happy 5th Birthday Blake!!!!

Blake with his Captain America Mask and Sheild

Blake and Lex with Blake's friend at our Wednesday Play Group

Blake playing in the infusion center waiting for his chemo

All the awesome nurses in the Infusion Center surprised Blake and gave him a balloon!!

Blake had a great Birthday (August 30th).  He spent the day with Mommy, Daddy and Alexia.  We ran a few errands together and had Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at home as a family.  It was very low key and relaxing and Blake was really excited to be 5!!!! 

Today (August 31st) we went to our usual Wednesday morning Church Play Group!!  Blake and Alexia enjoyed digging in the sand and building things with their friends.  They really love Wednesdays!!! 

After we were done at play group and our bellies were full of food, we headed to the Hematology/Oncology Clinic to see Blake's Dr and get Blake's routine chemo, counts and anti-fungal breathing treatment.  Blake and Alexia both did great at the clinic.  I was a little worried because the appointment was during the kids' usual nap time, but the kids were wonderful and got along great.  Blake had his best port access to date.  He did not struggle or put up a fuss at all!!!  I guess from here on out he should watch Johnny Test when he has his port accessed!  Once he was done in the Hem/Onc clinic we headed to the Infusion Center for his chemo.  He did great with the chemo and also had a surprise "Birthday Party" from the Infusion Center nurses (especially his favorite nurse Ashley, who we haven't seen in a while)!!!  They gave him a balloon and sang Happy Birthday to him!  He loved it!!!

His ANC was a little high (about 6000), which is no cause for alarm, we go back in 2 weeks to make sure it has gone back down, otherwise they will increase his chemo dosage (not a huge deal).  Otherwise everything went absolutely wonderfully!  Blake really enjoyed telling everyone that he is 5 years old now!  He also enjoyed showing the nurse his counting skills by helping her count to 15!!!! 

We are so proud of our 5-year-old boy!  He is so big and strong and has been such a blessing to us and to our families!!!  We can't imagine life without him and we thank God for allowing him to spend more time with us here on earth!!!!  Happy 5th Birthday Blake!  Can't believe it has already been 5 years!!!!

Alexia's brother's 5th birthday party

Alexia before the party started

Lex and her life long friend!

Playing while Blake opens his presents

Playing at the playground after eating cake and ice cream

Alexia really enjoyed Blake's birthay party!  She had a few friends there as well and really enjoyed some girl time with a few friends she has known since birth!  The park is the perfect place for a kids' birthday party they all had such a great time!!!!  Lex was very excited for Blake to open the gift she got him and he really liked it!!!  It was such a beautiful day and we all really enjoyed it!!!!

Blake's 5th Birthday Party

Blake right before everyone got to his party

The Cupcakes made by Black Market Cupcakes (so amazing)

The cake

Singing happy birthday to Blake

Blake had a Captain America theme!!! 

This was the first year Blake really wanted to be involved in planning his birthday party.  He picked the theme, which was Captain America, and he also picked all of the gifts on his registry himself!!!  We had his party at the same park we did last year, he loves the park and it works really well to have the kids play on the playground while waiting for everyone to arrive and after the cake and ice cream and gifts as well!!! 

We could not have asked for a more beautiful day!!!  It was a beautiful 83 degrees, sunny with very low humidity!  It was just perfect!  We appreciate everyone who was able to make it!  Blake had so much fun with his friends and family celebrating his 5th birthday!!!!  He was VERY excited for today and it definitely more than lived up to his expectations!!!  So a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who was able to make it!!!!  We missed the few people who missed the party due to illness and injury, but we know (thankfully) there is always next year and we always love to see all of you!!!

Little Briana Corinne!!!

Briana's arms crossed by her face

Briana's cute little face

Another pretty good picture of her face!!!

We are 23 weeks and 4 days along!!!!  We finally found out that we are having a girl!!!!!  We are so excited for Blake and Alexia to have a sister!!!  Briana measures 1 week and 3 days larger than average for her gestational age. 

Big brother Blake

Blake is proud to announce that he will be the big brother of another little girl!!!!  He is excited for his little sister Briana Corinne Parrack to arrive sometime around her due date of December 11th 2011!!!!!

Big Sister Alexia

Alexia is proud to announce that she is going to be the big sister of a little girl!!! 

Alexia's little sister's name is Briana Corinne Parrack!!!  She should arrive sometime around her due date December 11th, 2011!!!!

Summer is almost over

Lex with Mater teeth sucker

Lex swimming

Daddy giving a piggy back ride

Lex and her cousin!

Lex and her cousin again

At the pool

Swimming with Mommy and Daddy

Alexia has grown up so quickly.  She seems so much older and is doing so many more things than she was doing even just a few months ago.  She has a really fun personality and loves to hang out with her friends and family.  She is already a very social girl (although she does take a few minutes to warm up to any new people or new situations).  She amazes us daily with how smart she is.  I think it really helps that her big brother really enjoys teaching her things and she has quite a few adults in her life who take time to work with her on things like puzzles and counting and playing board games.  Sometimes it is easy to forget that she is only 2 1/2 because she seems more mature than a lot of kids her age.  I'm sure she will have her moments though to remind us how young she is.