Saturday, July 30, 2011

Zzzz's...

To say that our sweet Maggie has had sleeping issues this year...is an understatement. I can count on one hand how many nights she has slept ALL night long without getting/waking up. An awful side effect of the steroids she has been on for most of the last year. But insomnia has been a small sacrifice for the benefit the steroids have offered to her kidneys. Thankfully, the insomnia has not taken too bad of a toll on Mags attitude or behavior during the day. It has just been hard on Todd and I.

Well, my girl has been getting some good, solid, long zzz's this week. She has had 4 real nights of sleep. Real meaning several long hours straight...maybe even all night (9-8)or only getting up once. Praise the Lord!!!! Such an answer to this mommas prayers.

She is completely OFF her steroids right now (almost off a week)! This I think is the primary reason for the improvement in sleep. But also we have been offering some rewards and incentives for "staying in her bed ALL night long". We have also been skipping her afternoon nap from time to time. I think she may be ready to go to every other day naps...or naps just when she seems like she needs it. We have previously been very regular about getting her nap. I am a firm believer in kids getting good rest, both for their health/growth and for their mommas sanity, ha!

As one of Mags rewards, I had bought her this sleep mask (her 9 year old cousin has one, and Mags thought it was so cool).

She just makes me giggle when I see her in it. She loves wearing it and seems to think it helps with some zzzz's.

My motto is "whatever works"!!!!

Love my sweet sleeping beauty!!!

Nightey night! Yawn!

Love to all,
Leah





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Sweet Grandma Flynt...

Aren't Grandparents the BEST?!? And Great-grandparents even better?!?

My sweet girls still have all 4 of their grandparents and 5 of their great-grandparents. What an amazing blessing for them. I know this is a real rarity these days.

Last week we went to visit my Grandma Flynt. She lives in a near by retirement complex. We are so thankful that she is close and we can see her often. She has found a fun way to connect with Maggie. She let's her toodle around with her on her scooter and Maggie LOVES it!!!!

She has even started letting Maggie drive some. Only grandmothers would let a four year old drive right? Ha!

She follows the blog...so this video is for you Grandma!!!

Love you tons!
Leah & Maggie
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Look who is WALKING!!!

This is too fun not too share!!!

Our sweet Sadie Rose is walking. She is so cute with her wobbly "Bambi" legs. She gets so excited with herself and grins from ear to ear when she has walked a few steps. It is incredible how quickly they master a new skill and so precious to see her grow!!!

Love to all,
Leah

P.S Please excuse my squeal-ey hick voice in the background. I was just soooo excited. :-)

YouTube Video

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Happy 1st Birthday Sadie!

Our sweet Sadie Rose turned 1 year old on June 29th.

 She could not be a more precious daughter. She is just easy, and pleasant and so fun to watch explore and discover her world. This birthday was DOUBLE the fun, because we got to celebrate it with her cousin Claire...who is just 12 days younger than Sadie. My sis in law Jenny and I decided it would be a fun way for us to celebrate both of them. It ended up being a really sweet time with family!
The birthday spread...minus the pizza. 
Cupcakes just make me smile! 
Sweet Sadie Rose is 1 year old! 
Happy as a little clam... 
Claire Paisley...precious birthday girl too!

Claire's smash cake... 
Sadie's smash cake... 
This sums it up for me! Love this plate!!!

Todd and I and our big girl! 
My precious family... 
Double the fun...cousins!!! 
Opening presents...Sadie got a precious charm bracelet. Such a fun thing to have  that will grow with her for years to come. Now I, Maggie and Sadie all have one. A true timeless accessory if you ask me. HA! 
More presents... 
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday dear Sadie! Happy Birthday to you! 
The messier the BETTER!

I am one blessed Momma, to have both my precious girls. Thank you God for their sweet little lives.

Love to all,
Leah

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Sea World San Antonio-June 2011

To conclude our recent vacation, we stopped through San Antonio on our way home from the coast. We spent 3 nights there and had a ball visiting Sea World. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. It was Maggie's first time to visit Sea World, and she loved it. Below are some fun pics from our time there.
All of our favorite thing to do there...was visit Dolphin Cove and feed the dolphins. We visited it two different times and spent the most time and $$$ there. It is so fun to get such up close encounters with the dolphins.


We drew a crowd...Ha!
Sadie was not so sure about them...
They just make me smile!
Todd and his girls, checking out the beluga whale and dolphin show called "Azul".

Beluga whale in action...

About to see Shamu...


Momma Shamu and Baby Shamu swimming side by side.

Me and my sweet Sadie Rose...

Momma Shamu and Baby Shamu...

Maggie Caroline...she had a "relapse" with her Nephrotic Syndrome while we were on our trip. She swelled quite a bit from it. This was the worst day for her swelling. Yes...those are cankles. Lasix to the rescue, and the next day she looked so much better.

Sisters...
Love this one...
Maggie's first taste of Dippin' dots ice cream....and sad swollen face and eyes. 

Yumm-o!
Nothing cuter to me, than seeing my hubby push the stroller. He is such a good Daddy! We are some blessed girls. 
Maggie hitched a ride...

Maggie's first roller coaster...The Shamu express.

On the carousel in the Sesame Street Bay of Play...

Todd and Maggie...

Sweet Sadie was such a trooper in her stroller for 2 days...her eyes just melt my heart!

LOVE her "scrunchy" face...cracks me up!

My LOVES...

Ready to feed the birds in the Lorakeet Aviary...

They drank nectar right from a cup...


California sea lion with her 2 week old pup...

We got to feed them too....


Sea otters...

My little family....


In the aquarium...

The girls and Todd with their plush Shamu and Dolphin to take home.

Ready for a dip in the pool at our resort...
Splish-Splash....
SUCH a fun family trip!

Love to all,
Leah