Birthday Monkey

Happy Birthday Elias Emerson Flora! We have spent an amazing year in the barrel with you. You are kind, loving, easy-going, energetic, flirty, and super friendly. You make everyone you come in contact with smile. We are so Blessed to have been given you in our family.

Party celebrations tomorrow!

Pool Dayz

Elias and Mama enjoyed the first hot day of the year with a little pool-side fun!

It's almost summertime in the city! And best of all, it's almost birthday day!

Pomp and Circumstance

Last weekend, Mama and Elias traveled back to California to see Uncle T graduate from college. The airplane flight was somewhat easier (despite Mama's anxiety) since Elias makes such good friends with those he comes in contact with. Plus, the added bonus that planes are like cars, and he gets very sleepy once in the air. Or perhaps its from all the excitement....

                                    

We are so very proud of our Uncle T, who graduated with a degree in business from California State University at Channel Islands. Many friends and family came out for the event and we all celebrated in the usual Californian style--tri-tip, salsa, and wine :)

And Elias found love!

Cheers and Congrats Uncle T!

A Day for Mamas

"We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body."   ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today was a very special day in honor of Mama. Daddy and Elias let her sleep in for an hour after a rough night (Elias wanted to play at 4 in the morning!). Then the family went off to Mass for a nice service, a surprise Mother's Day rose, and the meeting of some nice parishioners per Father Todd's request. The boys had a very special treat for Mama--lunch at one of her favorite restaurants, Palomino. Cheers to their service for accommodating an almost toddler! We have so much more appreciation for families when we dine out since it is not always easy to accommodate little ones.

Afterwards, we spent a few hours walking around Circle Center Mall and did some light shopping--Mama got a new summer dress. Then walked around our neighborhood shopping for houses. We have put our beloved school house condo up for sale since we now need a bigger space for Elias to run and explore. The condo fit well for Mama and Daddy's newlywed/graduate student lifestyle. However, now with Elias in the family, a little more square footage for the ability to fully baby-proof is essential. Mama also has been longing for a garden space.

Mother's Day was very special for us all. We would like to thank ALL the mothers in our lives for we would not be who we are today without their love and guidance. We love you Moms!

H is for Hemophilia

Today Elias' hemophilia diagnosis became very real for all of us in the barrel. We have had the good fortune in the last 11 months to not have any major bleeding episodes--made it through every vaccination with no problems, and only daily big, purple bruises and two mouth cuts that gave any indication to others that Elias has hemophilia. Elias is days away from walking independently (he has taken one or two steps alone but finds that pushing his toy or crawling are much more efficient modes of transportation), so we have made the decision to be aggressive with his hemophilia and protect his joint health by doing prophylaxis treatment via a port-a-cath for venous access (in lieu of Mama and Daddy trying to give factor through a vein in his arm). This will give Mama and Daddy the ability to do infusions of his hemophilia factor 2-3 times per week at home instead of a hospital and Elias' the opportunity to really keep up with his peers. So today Elias was scheduled to have surgery to have the port placed under his skin on his chest. Eventually when Elias has a little less baby chub on his arms, we will not need to use the port and it can come out. Also on the books, Elias was due for some ear tubes to help with his constant ear infections. So it was a big day with two surgeries lined up.

Elias got his first dose of factor today. He did really well with the infusion. Thanks to nurse Lisa for getting good stick right away! Of course Elias had to be strapped into the papoose and held down by all (much too mobile and strong these days) and he cried and cried, but that only lasted for the infusion itself and he was back to crawling around in the treatment room pushing his toys around.

Then off to the hospital for surgery. He got to wear baby-sized scrubs and play with a great gumball machine.

After he went back, and Mama and Daddy went to lunch and got a call soon after. Dr. K (the port surgeon) told us that when Dr. H (ENT surgeon) went first to place the tubes that pus came out of both ears. It seems that last week's cold has resulted in another ear infection! The tubes went in, and the infection was cleaned out, however due to the higher risk of infection for the port, it was not placed. So Elias only had one procedure done today. We are very thankful and blessed that Dr. H went first to discover the double ear infection as it could have complicated the port with infection. Elias recovered well and was back to his old self by the evening. Let's hope that these tubes will help his sleeping at night. Many thanks to all of those praying for us today---your prayers were definitely heard with a fortunate find!

Look Ma, I'm famous!

Mama is an avid reader of many mommy blogs--blogs written by her friends, blogs for cloth diapering, blogs for being earth-friendly, blogs for mommy-managing, blogs for couponing, and more. Mama recently submitted a post for one of her favorite cloth diapering blogs, The Cloth Diaper Whisperer discussing how we started to cloth diaper around here and they posted it! Click here to read the post. Now if she can only win some diapers...

In other exciting news, Daddy won his first federal criminal trial! We are very proud of him, now being 2/2 and not even practicing for a year. We all knew that Daddy has some talent and above all, he loves to practice the law.

Yesterday was World Hemophilia Day. We have made it pretty far without any big episodes...until today. Elias bumped his top lip and cut the frenulum (the little skin tag between the top two teeth.) And it bled and bled. So we introduced Amicar--an oral medication that helps with minor mouth and nose bleeds (no infusions yet!) It did the trick for now. We find out tomorrow if Elias will be needing ear tubes when he gets his port placed. If no tubes, then we are set to get the port and start profy in 2 weeks. If tubes, then it will get pushed back a week or two. Mama and Daddy are actually a little excited and relieved for profy since their little monkey has taken to headbutting the walls and putting everything (furniture) in his mouth. The other day, Mama got a concerned look from the cashier at the store as to why Elias has so many dark bruises all over his body ad head. She had to take the time to educate her on his condition. Oh Elias!

Turning a leaf, watching blossoms fall....

Spring has fully sprung here in Indy. The trees are dripping with blossoms and the weather is a wonderful 80 degrees. We have sprung from the barrel to enjoy her graces....

Springtime also brings on some spring cleaning. Sadly, Mama and Daddy's all-time favorite cars went on to Volvo heaven.