10 Random things on a Sunday

1. I haven't yet posted about our fabulous trip to Ohio, but I promise to tomorrow...lots of pics to share and some good stories.

2. It is WAY too hot outside, 115 for over three days now...can I go back to the 70's we had in Ohio now?

3. Brennan and Emerson start summer camp in the morning. Can't wait to see how Brennan does in a new school. This will hopefully be a great introduction for him for the fall when he starts there for preschool.

4. What in the world will I do with myself from 9-3 for the next week while BOTH kids are in camp? I NEVER get that much time for me! But if the list I keep adding to grows any larger, I will need a whole other week to recover from this one!

5. Brennan has an evaluation with a speech therapist tomorrow. Interested to see what she says. Whoever knew that having one too many ear infections could spiral into so many other things (ie: surgery for tubes, speech evals, etc.)?

6. TV in the summer just stinks! You know it is bad when you start looking for Friends reruns to watch at night.

7. I counted the change in the kid's piggy banks today, so I can go to the bank tomorrow, my goodness, I think they have more money than mommy and daddy do! Change sure does add up!

8. I cut Brennan's hair today and he looks SO big! He is growing up WAY too fast.

9. I still have not seen the Sex and City movie yet. I might just have to make a girl's night sometime soon to go, at least before it leaves the theatres!

10. Okay, don't think I am crazy, but I miss work. Well, really I don't miss working, but I miss the people I work with and even some of my students. I am sure that feeling will leave soon enough:) LOL!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Happy Daddy's Day!

Dear Daddy,

Thank you for being such a great daddy!!! We love wrestling and playing hide and seek. We love dancing and singing all around the living room. We love playing silly games and calling each other silly names. We love playing store and swimming with you in the pool. We love it when you take us places and buy us treats that mommy wouldn't buy. We love it when you sit and cuddle with us.

Thank you for loving us because we sure do love you!!!

Love,

Emerson and Brennan

It's Official!

Today was my first day of summer vacation! I should feel relaxed, relieved, joyous....right? I was joking with a few of my fellow teachers, saying that it always takes us a few weeks to really feel like it is summer break. Right now it honestly just feels like another normal weekend, but hopefully that feeling of euphoria for vacation will overwhelm me soon enough.
The kids and I leave tomorrow, with my mom, to visit one of my best friends, Carrie, in Ohio! I am so excited for so many reasons....Brennan has never travelled this far before, my mom has never been to Ohio, I get to meet Carrie's newest handsome boy, Cohen, and I get to see a great friend! This is really the best way to kick off my vacation, I can't wait!
I promise to post lots of details and pictures when we come home next weekend.

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Is it over yet???

3 more days and counting until summer break is here....I am SOOOOO ready!
Lots of love,
The Grady's

Pomp and Circumstance

Emerson graduated from Pre-K today. The school sure goes all out for these adorable 5 year olds, a full graduation complete with caps and gowns. The kids all came in the church, two by two, then sat in the pews.

Emerson and Tatum

Dr. Brennan, the principal, welcomed everyone, then led us in prayer. He did remind us that we would be attending many graduations over the years, 8th grade, high school (Class of 2022!) and college and that this was just the beginning. Next, the teachers introduced their classes and the students sang a song for everyone.

Emerson with Teacher Olga

The students were then called forward to receive their diplomas from Dr. Brennan and Mrs. DeNovi, the preschool director. The teachers had taken the time to look up the meanings of each child's name and in their introduction, read each child's name description aloud. It was amazing how fitting each child's description actually was.

Emerson and Kaitlyn after the celebration!

Lots of love,


The Grady's

Who ever said it wasn't a sport?

I am not sure if Emerson will be an athlete when she is older, but maybe she will be doign soemthing with music or dancing. That girl has some serious rhythm! We are still trying to figure out where she got it from.

Lots of love,

The Grady's (and hula hoop champion Emerson)

Crazy, weird weather!

It isn't often that Southern CA is put under a tornado watch, actually I can't remember ever being under one, EVER. But yesterday this happened about 30 miles from our house. And although that is strange enough, the craziness continued today. It was only about 65 degrees and RAINING! Yes, raining. We haven't had measurable rain for months and today we were on the verge of being cold and it rained and snowed in the surrounding mountains. Once again, not crazy, unless of course you take into account the fact that it was 116 degrees TWO days ago! Yes, record temperatures just two days ago. 116 and 112 on Monday and Tuesday.
So, I hate to ask....what next?

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Checkups

There is nothing more fun than taking both kids to the doctor for their annual checkups, let me tell you! Yesterday Emerson had her 5 year checkup and Brennan had his 3 year checkup at Dr. Coit's office.
Brennan is 34 pounds and 41 inches (90% percentile) and Em is 48 pounds and 46 inches (90 % percentile as well). Brennan had the general workup with special attention to his heart as usual. Dr. Coit read the report from our last Dr. Hashmi visit, and was pleased to see that everything looks so great. Then we talked about his ears and he was a little perturbed at what the ENT had told us. He doesn’t believe that we need to avoid water entirely. He said to do our best, but certainly don’t keep him away from the pool since that is basically impossible where we live. We should use our new ear plugs and not worry much more than that. Then gave him one shot, which of course he screamed about.

Then Emerson's turn. She had her blood pressure taken, an vision and hearing test , and a general checkup. He then listened to her heart, asked her about school, etc. Then the worst part...TWO shots and she was SCREAMING like a banshee! Kicking AND screaming. Nice. Not embarrassing at all!

Now Emerson is set for kindergarten and Brennan is good for another year!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Brennan's Ear Update

Back in September, as you know, Brennan had tubes put into his ears to help drain fluid that seemed to be trapped there. We had headed back for a checkup about a month ago, to discover that one of the tubes had already come out, possibly due to an ear infection. The Dr. wanted to see us back about a 10 course of antibiotics, due to more fluid buildup. Well today was his followup appointment.
Jeff took him today, first for a hearing test and then on to the Dr. to discuss the results. Brennan's right ear still has the tube in place, no fluid in the ear, and perfect on the hearing test. The left ear is a different story. The tube is not there, the antibiotics cleared up the fluid buildup, but there still remains a mild hearing loss. The Dr. feels fairly certain that the ear is still in a healing process and the hearing capacity will be restored over time, as the ear continues to heal. So we wait. We have a followup hearing test and Dr. visit in August to check on everything. But for the time being, NO water at all in that ear. So, say goodbye to swimming this summer. Doctor said that even with ear plugs in we cannot be guaranteed that water will not seep through and enter the ear passage. Tell me how I can explain to a three year old that he can't go swimming in the pool when his sister is diving down to the bottom? Explain how I tell him that even though it is 120 degrees outside and the pool looks SO refreshing, that he can't go in it? Should be a real fun summer, now. Ugh.

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Happy Mom's Day

I had such a wonderful Mother's Day, that was truly more than just a day. It all started Friday when I attended the special Mother's Day Tea at Emerson's school. The students performed a few songs and dances for us while we all sat back with teary eyes. Emerson made me some very special presents and I was able to take home some of her great artwork as well.

Sunday I was pampered with a facial and pedicure in the morning and spent the afternoon outside playing with the kids. Jeff took care to make all our food all day, clean up the house, and just run interference most of the day. It was a perfect break for me!

Here are my little munchkins playing around today.

Happy Mother's Day to all the loving mothers I know. Hope you have a good day enjoying those wonderful people in your life.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Ahoy Matey!

When asked what kind of a birthday party Brennan wanted, his response was an enthusiastic "PIRATE party!". So pirates it was!

Pirate Bounce House

Happy Birthday our little pirate!

A NEW bike!!!! He is already riding it like a pro.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Happy Birthday Bren!

Dearest Brennan,

Three years old already? You entered our lives three years ago today, I should have known that you would be special with 05/05/05 as a birth date. I remember going into the hospital that morning three years ago, and having this combination of fear and excitement all wrapped up together. Then there was the moment with Dr. Gurwitt lifted you up and exclaimed that you were a BOY! I remember the uncertainly of the weeks that followed, the intense fear that we might lose you, and the joy of bringing you home once again with a healthy heart. We always said what a happy baby you were, like you knew there wasn't anything to worry about anymore. You knew you had already conquered the hardest thing.

I remember how excited I was to have a boy. I knew it would be different than how Emma was, but I never realized how different boys were! You are always running, jumping, leaping around the house. You enjoy playing with cars and dinosaurs, pretending to be a monster to scare your sister, and watching Scooby Doo. You make car noises and pirate voices and play with bugs. You love watching sports and wrestling with daddy. You are most definitely 110% boy.

You are also the cuddliest boy I know. You will come up and curl up on my lap and sit for awhile. As long as you have your blanket ,"elefunt" (elephant), and your thumb you are happy. You give the best hugs and have just about perfected the "fishy" kiss. Our "I love you" battles always put a smile on my face.

I know that every little child is a miracle, but you are truly our miracle. I know that God has this amazing plan for you and gave you a second chance because you are here to make a difference. I feel so blessed to be your mom and watch you grow. I love you more than words, little man.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Brennan!

7 Things

The rules:

Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some weird, some random.

Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

1. I am addicted to my DVR. It has literally changed my life:) I can "tape" any show I want, watch it whenever I want, and NEVER see commercials. It is pure joy for me. Oh and on that same note...I am addicted to checking email....you can rest assure that I will always check it at least 5 times a day, great way to get a hold of me!

2. I hate dirty fingernails on kids or adults for that matter. I have to cut my kids nails weekly just to keep them clean and trim...freaks me out when it is not done.

3. I am a total neat-freak. I mean, I do have the normal amount of things left out around the house, but clutter and extra stuff make me crazy. I cannot leave the house for a trip without it being somewhat clean, okay really clean. (thanks mom for that habit)

4. You can ask anyone close to me if I like to rearrange furniture and the resounding answer will always be "YES!!!". Tiffany makes fun of me because she says she will get lost in our house one day because I move everything around so much. What can I say, I like to change things up a bit!

5. I drive fast. Everywhere. Emerson told a friend of mine recently "My mom pushes really hard on the pedal!". I mean come on, I have places to go and not all day to get there.

6. I LOVE lists! I make lists for everything. I make them at work....at home....for groceries....Sometimes I even put things on my list that I've already completed....just so I can cross them off. Gives me a sense of accomplishment and a rush to keep getting stuff crossed off.

7. I am a news junkie. I read news all day long online and watch it every night. Look at my computer favorites at work or at home and the first item on there is Drudge (thanks to my husband for showing me that one years ago!) and our local newspaper for local stuff. I just like knowing what is happening in the world and my own backyard.

Okay, that's it! Now my turn to tag 7 of my friends!

1. Aimee
2. Paige
3. Carrie
4. Connie

Okay seriously...what a loser...I can only come up with 4 blogger friends:(

Open Wide!

Today was Brennan's first dentist appointment. See, two weeks ago he tagged along for Em's appt. at the dentist and he kept asking for his turn. So, I made him his own appt. He was SO excited to go today. I picked him up at daycare, got to the dentist and he played so happily while we waited in the waiting room. When we were called back, he practically skipped to his chair. He watched the movie on the little t.v. and waited so well for the dentist to come to us. Finally, she came over, made the chair go up (which he LOVED!), then started to lean the chair back. He opened his mouth nice and big, she put her little pointer tool in his mouth and WWWWAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!! The loudest scream ever....and wouldn't stop even when we got him out of the chair. He wanted NO more of that...could care less about his treat bag and didn't even want his special stuffed animal. Great, can't wait for the next dentist appointment!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

What does it mean when...

your 2 year old says, "Mommy, you know, You are REALLY driving me crazy!"?

Yep. He did say that...and most likely he heard it straight from my own mouth. Nice.

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Indian Canyons

After a great morning watching Emerson perform, we decided we couldn't be inside the rest of the day. Jeff's dad and Kathy were in town visiting for the weekend, so we decided to go for a hike in Indian Canyons, in northern Palm Springs. We couldn't have asked for better weather to enjoy this beautiful hike.

I have actually been to Indian Canyons with my 3rd graders for three years in a row now. Jeff had never been there, so it was fun to be able to show him all I have learned from going up there many times before. Emerson even enjoyed getting out and having her first real hike in nature.

The hike is only about 1 mile long. It runs in the middle of an amazing desert oasis where the Cahuilla Indians used to seek refuge from the desert heat. At this time of year the waterfalls are flowing and you can see why the Indians loved this place so much.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Spring Performance

Our Little Polar Bear

Emerson's preschool has "Reader's Theatre" performance every so often. The student's usually sing a song that they have been working on in class. Well, their Spring performance is the grandest of all. So grand, that it was not even held at school, but at a local resort hotel. The title of the performance was "The Teddy Bear Picnic". Each class has a song and dance routine to tell part of the story. Emerson's class did the "Polar Bear Stomp". And for a shameless brag, our little girl, knew ALL the steps, without missing a beat. It was so cute!!! What a great excuse to miss work!Can you find her?

Lots of love,

The Grady's

I think it is safe to say...

that we have a little boy is officially potty trained!!!! HOORAY!

Of course, if he is anything like Emma, he will be in a diaper at night until he is 5! LOL!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Could it be...

I am being quite cautious, but optimistic.....but two days now, diapers only at nap time and bed time....not one accident....
Could it be the end of diapers in our house???

Lots of love,
The Grady's

Two Doctors, one day

Brennan had TWO Dr. appts. today. First we headed to see Dr. Hashmi, our favorite pediatric cardiologist. After waiting for almost an hour in the waiting room (sadly, he has too many heart babies to tend to), we finally made it into the first of the three exam rooms. I always dread these appts. for the simple fact that I know they are going to be long and they are going to do things that Brennan won't especially like. But, today Brennan was a dream, a real trooper. The echocardiogram was great, he was perfectly still for the EKG, got his blood pressure on the first try (unlike when he was a baby and we tried 5 times and finally gave up), and he held super still for Dr. Hashmi to check his pulse points. When all of that was done, Dr. Hashmi's conclusion, PERFECT! Our little man is doing great! His aortic arch (the surgically repaired piece) is growing very well, the "leaky" valve is holding strong, and blood pressures are all equal. We had a long talk about the "future" and what that will entail for Brennan's health. We will continue seeing Dr. Hashmi every year. We will also continue to watch the progress of the arch as he grows, as well as the valve. He has a 10% chance of needed a balloon catherization to open the arch if it constricts again (we already know how Brennan LOVES to fall in that 10%), and a fairly good chance of eventually needing a valve replacement when he gets older. But, right now, Brennan has a perfectly healthy heart! And to think that the scar we see everyday, the one that has faded to almost nothing (can you see it?), is becoming more and more a distant memory.
If that appt. wasn't enough, we also saw the ENT specialist about Brennan's ear tubes. Wouldn't you know it, the tube in his left ear has come out! Part of me was super excited, until the Dr. said...that he already has fluid buildup behind the ear drum. Great. So, he is on another course of darn antibiotics (we just finished some two weeks ago). And we will go back to have it checked in 4 weeks, as well as have a hearing test. But, the right ear looks great, tube still in place. Brennan's speech has improved immensely since the tubes were placed and I certainly do not want to take any steps back in that area.

So, it was quite an eventful day for our little guy. He was amazing all day, no one tear for any Dr.! He even sat all by himself in the big exam chair at the ENT office today. Wow, he sure is growing up fast! So after a long day...this is how he relaxes.

Lots of love,

The Grady's