Mommy's Birthday

Celebrating my birthday this year (Feb. 23) was very low key - just the way I wanted it. Here are some pictures with my family to mark the occasion.

If this doesn't capture the morning, I don't know what would!

The card reads, "Every kid needs a hero..."

... "Mommy, you're mine!" The inside has a recording of Mateo's voice saying, "Happy Birthda... Happy Birthday, Mommy! I love you!" Then it plays the theme song to Superman. I will ALWAYS keep that card!

My sister, me and Mom

Roses from my Honey and flowers from my parents

Grandma swears it's the first time she has celebrated my birthday with me at my house!

My Grandma about loses her scarf (Mateo wouldn't sit still long enough for the picture)

Francesca signs drink

Mateo prayed the blessing on our dinner

David and Goliath

Mateo has been enamoured with the story of David and Goliath for the past couple of months (actually any story grabs his attention ... he is constantly asking for me or Daddy or Grandpa to tell him a story about "Crash" or "Boo-boo" or "Big orange trucks and snow and clouds" or "Bears"). Every night he asks us to read a story from the Bible to him, and it is always "David and Goliath." He first learned the story from a video he saw at Blanca's house in Spanish, so he pronounces the giant's name "Go-lee-oth" even when he is talking in English. It's very cute. Tonight I asked Mateo to read me the story. I am not only amazed at his ability to recount the story, but also of his use of the same big vocabulary: battlefield, slaves, roared, appeared. Let's just say I am totally enamoured with my story-loving son!

Angels

Today the art teacher from my school, Mary Seger, gave me a poem that was in her church bulletin this past Sunday.  She said it reminded her of Francesca.  Reading it brought tears to my eyes as it put words to what I am reminded of on a daily basis because of both of my children.  

Blessing in Disguise

Cathy Pinto

God sends His little angels

in many forms and guises.

They come as lovely miracles 

that God alone devises.

For He does nothing without purpose; 

everything's a perfect plan

to fulfill in bounteous measure

all He ever promised.

Every little angel 

with a body bent and broken

or a little mind unknowing

or little words unspoken

is just God's way of trying 

to reach out and touch the hands

of all who do not know Him

and cannot understand

that often through an angel,

whose wings will never fly,

the Lord is pointing out

the way to His eternal sky

where there will be no handicaps

of body, soul or mind

and where all limitations

will be dropped and left behind.

So accept these little angels

as gifts from God above

and thank Him for this lesson

in faith, hope and love.

Nothing is without purpose.  Both of my children are gifts from God, and God is using them to mold me and break me and refine me - for there are many moments in each day when I see my own limitations and shortfalls.  What I love about this poem most is the reminder that by faith in Jesus and by grace God's gift to us is the promise of heaven where we will be made new - no more tears, no more suffering, no more pain.  And I am amazed by the way that He does use "little angels" like my Francesca and Mateo to point back to Him - the Way, the Truth ... abundant Life.  Thank you for these gifts you have sent into my life!

Siblings - Hermanos

Francesca's first valentine from her big brother

Mateo signs "juice" as they watch Baby Signing Time

A cow says muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Mateo and Francesca love to read together.

Clowning around

Show me how!

The Slinky ... endless entertainment

Ride 'em cowgirl!

We are so glad that Mateo and Francesca love each other so much! It's evident in their daily actions and endless smiles. When Francesca hears Mateo's voice, she looks around the room until she finds him, and when she does her face brightens into a wide smile. Mateo loves Francesca so much that sometimes he can't contain his enthusiasm and will tumble her backward in a big hug. It is so good to know Francesca has a loving older brother and that Mateo has an adoring little sister. There is much laughter and love in our home.

Francesca's First Haircut

Francesca got her first haircut on Saturday, February 20, 2010 (2/20/2010). Since she was born she has been growing a crop of hair off the crown of her head - it's gotten longer and longer, and it was finally time to give it a little trim. Mama cut her hair while she sat on the countertop in the bathroom. Just like her brother, Francesca didn't make much of a fuss. Now she looks darling! BEFORE ...

AFTER ...

Her first lock of hair

Chewing on an O

Francesca is home!

Francesca is 14 months today and on this Sunday afternoon we got to come home with Francesca!  After 9 long days in the hospital ... it has been quite a ride.  Francesca was released from the pediatric ICU on Thursday, and we received good news that the pneumonia had not spread, rather her scary episode was due to her airways closing up from not have had as many breathing treatments on Wednesday.  Wednesday night was the longest night of my life, but some interesting good has come from our stay there and the extra attention from the medical staff.

As a result of being in the PICU, Francesca was also given an ecocardigram, was attended by a pediatric specialist and pulmonologist the night we were admitted, and had a PT/OT consultation.  There are two concerns that have arisen: 1) the eco revealed some fluid surrounding her heart, and 2) the recurring pneumonia suggests that Francesca may be aspirating while feeding.   Although the fluid surrounding her heart is not serious, it is often an indicator of hypothyroidism, a common health concern for people with Down syndrome.  Of more concern is the recurring pneumonia for which we hope to quickly find the cause.  

The doctors at Children's have scheduled a Swallow Test for Monday to check whether Francesca is aspirating while eating/drinking.  Depending on those findings, we might undergo one or two other tests.  We also have an appointment with an endochrinologist on Tuesday regarding a probable hypothyroid diagnosis. Our hope is that we will be able to begin to resolve some of these health concerns and continue to get better.

Please continue to pray for our little angel.

At the hospital

Well, here's the scoop... Francesca was diagnosed with RSV on Tuesday and then admitted on Friday to Children's (we even got an exciting ambulance ride from the ped clinic to the hospital). Turns out she got pneumonia on top of the RSV. Bad news because it is the 3rd time since December 6 that she's had pneumonia! She was making little progress after 4 days they started her on steroids. Made better progress until last night when she couldn't get her oxygen sat above mid 80s even with 10 mL of oxygen. Scary stuff. We ended up in the PICU with an oxygen mask and 15 mL of oxygen most of the night. Jose was Super Daddy and held her until 5:45 in the morning since she couldn't/wouldn't sleep on her back. By 8:00 she was down to 10 mL again and then after a breathing treatment she quickly went back to a nasal canon and is now holding her own on 2 mL. We THINK the source of our problem may be that she is aspirating while eating/nursing or that she has reflux causing the recurring pneumonia. Of course this could just be something that happens while she has a cold and that is what turns it to pneumonia so often. Good news is she is stable and we are moving back upstairs to the regular ped unit later today (once a room opens up). Thanks for praying for Francesca guys. We have a long recovery road ahead of us.