Another Trip to John's Hopkins

I have mixed feelings about John's Hopkins, as I think most parent's do about children's hospitals. The last time we where there Johnny had his burn and I still feel horrible about that, but they did an amazing job and that was the first time I felt like he would really be okay after the burn. He does not even have a scare! and it hasn't even been a full year!!!

Today we headed back to Baltimore to John's Hopkins Children's center, this time for Lily to see a Urologist.
Again I have mixed feelings about the hospital. The nurses and doctors are very informative and nice, but we waited for 45 minutes after our appointment time to get in to see the urologist. The good news is that he told us nothing we didn't already know, but that is also the bad news. You always wish we had more information.

The vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) diagnoises was confirmed. Grade one (the most mild form) and on the left side only! She will be on the daily lose dose of antibiotics until she is two, when she will need to have the VCUG test again to be sure she has grown out of it. If she hasn't we will wait until she is 4 to test her again, and it won't be until she is 5 or 6 when we will consider a surgical repair, and even then if she isn't having multiple UTIs or complications we could still wait till she is even older. There will be a 70% chance that any of her children will have this reflux issue, she will need to remember this when her kids are born (wow isn't that a strange thought?) We will also need to keep an eye on Johnny since he has at least a 40% chance of having this same issue, though unlikely since he has yet to have any UTIs. We will need to watch for urgency, dribbling or wetting pants now that he is potty trained. Right now it isn't worth it to put him through the diagnotic tests.


She will need one more test in the next month, where some slightly radioactive liquid will be injected through an IV ( Mommy is very much not wanting to do this test) along with some slight sedative and will make her drowsy but not knock her out. Then they will take an hour worth of pictures with a special camera to watch her make urine and insure that her kidneys have no scars from this last UTI and that they are functioning properly.

All in all not a bad trip to John's Hopkins and I will always recommend it as the best children's hospital I know of!

The Day He Turned Three! Part 1

I don't know how this day came around. Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. John Robert is the sweetest and smartest little guy! He constantly amazes me with how quickly he learns and how freely he gives him love to everyone around him.

As Momma likes to do, all of his presents are ready for him to wake up to, so when he wakes up in the morning he knows that this is HIS day!

It took him a few minutes to realize that everything was for him. The first toy he reached for was this riding horse which talks and making galloping sounds.

He also got a special party hat with his initials on it. He loved that his high chair "was all decorated"

Then he went to town opening the rest of his presents from Mommy, Daddy and Lily.

including a special kid proof digital camera that he can throw and drop and won't break!

Aunt Natalie called to sing Happy Birthday to him!

And Johnny right on opening his presents, he loved his dragon families.

Then Johnny got to his big present...dress up cloths and costumes.

Already to take on the world of dragons as a viking.

Johnny then decided what he wanted for breakfast...green blueberry pancakes! He scarfed it down!

Lily enjoyed watching Johnny open his presents and was very excited about her first St Patty's day.


This is just the start :)

Johnny'sThree Year Portraits

My baby is just 4 days away from being three years old. It has been the best three years of my life!

Every day he amazes me more and more!

Even while sitting in the smoking lounge

And giving out meaningful advice on what kind of juice is best

This year his favorite toy are his hot wheels and their case. He can play with them for hours on end!



As a special treat Lily wanted to show her brother how excited she is about his birthday! Mommy and her friend Jennie made this dress.

And a tie for the birthday boy to match.


They touch my heart by loving each other as much as they do.

This picture is my favorite picture that ever was taken, it made me cry.

She Pulled Herself Up!!

She has been trying for weeks! Getting one leg and then the knee stuck and falling over! But she did it!


She was so excited, and let our triumph yells and giggles!

Nine Months

As usual I have no idea how this milestone stuck up on me! My tinnie tiny baby who could barely life her own head is now crawling all over the place and trying to pull herself on everything in sight! Nine months have flown by in the blink of an eye!


Lily Bean remains the Happiest Baby EVER! She gets winny when she doesn't feel good, but she always has a smile for anyone who looks in her general direction. One evening we where on a trip through the craft store and every person who we walked by stopped and commented to her and made her giggle!

She is at a wonderful playful stage, and cannot be contained. She gets around by scooting, low crawling and hand and knees crawling. Nothing gets in her way and she spends her day following Johnny or Mommy around the downstairs.

She hasn't managed to pull all the way up on her feet, but she does regularly get up on one foot and one knee and then rocks in place as she tries to get that other foot out from under her. Last week she was trying to hard to get up that she fell right into the table and bit her lip with her two tiny teeth. Poor baby looked like she was in a fight. But she healed quickly and is not afraid to keep trying!
She is pretty stable when we put her holding onto the table, she likes it better standing.

Along with her two little teeth on the bottom front, her hair has been sprouting out! Still a medium blond that looks red in certain light and is so fine and soft! I can't wait to put it in pig tails!
Oh so happy! I just love that face! She has my father's eyes! Those smile lines that make your eyes so big and happy!!! She also has her father's checks! Those chipmuck checks, that constantly look like she is smuggling acorns!


Lily is babbling more and has a solid "Dadada" though a "mamamama" comes out some times too.
I love this picture because you can see her mouse cons and her "L" bow, not to mention she is giving a hint at her abilities. She goes from crawling to sitting to turning herself around and anything your mind can imagine to get herself into trouble. She loves chasing the broom, no matter where I store it, and she loves crawling down the hallway just to have me chase her. When she hears me coming she throws her legs and arms around like she is swimming and giggles hysterically!

The more I write about my little Cupcake the more I smile. She is such a joy and we can't imagine life without her! Though we have tons of memories from before she was born, my entire life seems like both of these kids are at every event! I can't picture anything without them in it!


She started proteins recently, eggs! And she loves them, she is eating a lot more solid foods and mostly less formula and mushes, just whatever we are eating gets cut up smaller and put in front of her. She has three bottles a day and one a night, but she never finishes them and prefers solids. She has also started juie, heavily watered down, and using a sippy cup. Though the one we use is shaped a lot like a bottle, she just loves to chew on the top.

I just love her!