I'm Still Here

It has been a while since I last posted. I have been working non stop. Two weeks ago a girl at the office went to lunch and never came back...we looked at her desk and all of her stuff was gone. SO, I started doing her job and mine. I have been working until about 8 everynight and on the weekends. This week another girl in the office started helping me. We are both doing the other girls job now and it is making my life alot easier!!!

In other news, the charger to my camera is MIA and my camera is dead. I cant charge it, so I cant use it. I am so sad!! Parker has starting really taking steps. He can take about 6 to 8 steps. We videoed him tons last night! I am so proud of him after all of his hard work. He got his braces (AFOs) last week and that is when he really started doing good. I think he will be fully walking in the next month. My dream is that the next time we go into the Cardiology clinic (April 1st) he can walk in holding my hand! Those nurses would just go crazy if they saw that!!! I have been pretty emotional lately about Parker making such huge hurdles after all he has been through. We are still having some issues with eating, but I think that will be a lifelong battle.

Parker started speech therapy last week. His therapist is the cutest thing and Parker just flirts with her. They are already best buds! He is doing good, she is justworking on eating foods without gagging, drinking from a sippy cup, and other stuff.

This past weekend was good. I didnt have to work on Saturday. Me and my mom did a Valentines brunch for some ladies and Dennis took Parker for some "man" time. I think they had lunch at wing stop! After that Parker took a long nap and we just watched tv (it was so nice). Valentines Day is my sister's birthday so we usually just celebrate her birthday, we went out for a family dinner.

What a great hubby I have. Dennis got me the cutest sunglasses for Valentines Day. I had been eyeing them for months.

Anyways, I am still here and will try to post some pictures of Parker walking as soon as I can.

CHD Awareness week

This week is CHD (Congenital Heart Defect) awareness week. Before Parker was born I knew what a CHD was (only because of my nursing background), but I never really "knew" about it. I just wanted to give some facts to those of you who dont really "know" about CHDs..

1. CHDs are the #1 birth defect and #1 cause of infant death related birth defects. 1 out of every 100-150 babies born will have a CHD.
2. 1 in 10 of those born with a CHD will have a fatal defect.
3. In the US there are nearly twice as many deaths due to CHD than that of all forms of childhood cancers combined. Yet there is 5 times more research for pediatric cancer than for CHD
4. There is no known cause for CHD, but genetics and environmental factors may play a role.
5. There is no cure for CHD, but advances in medicine has significantly decreased the mortalilty rate.
6. Only 5% of adults who can give blood do. Someone needs blood every three second in the US; it is often one of the many heart children.
7. Only 30% of the children who need a heart transplant receive on in time.

These are just a few facts about CHD. Please spread the word and raise awareness. If you can....donate blood (Parker has used many units of blood throughout his short life) and register to be an organ donor (Parker's life may depend on one of these selfless people one day).

Parker was born with one of the most severe CHDs. Fortunatly he is doing wonderful. I am so thankful that he doesnt need a heart transplant yet. Maybe he will never need one, but I have many friends (sweet, sweet babies) who are on the heart transplant list and they NEED a new heart to live. Please pray for them. Just remember and pray for all the precious children this week who are living with a CHD.

Go here for more info.

Little Red Wagon

This past weekend it was so beautiful outside!! It was 70 degrees outside and sunny! So, we took Parker and Bentley (our wonderful dog) for a walk in Parker's wagon that he got from Santa. Parker had so much fun, he couldnt stop smiling and giggling. Bentley just loved being pulled around and not having to walk!

On Sunday we watched the superbowl. I must say that it was a very fun game to watch. I didnt really care who won but it was a good game.

This is how Parker watched most of the game....on the stool or in Daddy's lap.

On Monday I took my camera to Parker's therapy. She says that Parker can take 6 steps by himself. Well, being the stinker that he is, he wouldnt do it for me the day I take my camera. I did manage to get a picture of him standing by himself. I will try again Wednesday.

He was evaluated for speech therapy yesterday and he qualified. She said he is really behind and wants to see him at least twice a week. I am glad he is going to start going to speech therapy. It will help with eating table food, sippy cup technique, and alot of other useful things. She said they will work on following commands (handing her a toy, saying no....etc), also teach him to chew (I dont know how they do it, but I am so glad someone can) and of course getting him to say more than "mama" and "bye-bye". We start next week, wish Parker luck!