Amblyopia

"A decrease in vision which is different from being nearsighted or farsighted. Patients with amblyopia do not see perfectly clearly with the affected eye, even with glasses or contacts. Amblyopia can be mild or severe. People with amblyopia have a problem with how the brain understands visual information the eye is sending it. Amblyopia will usually only affect one eye."

This is Abigail. We will have to patch her right eye every day for 2 hours until the end of July when we go back to see Dr. H again. Have you ever tried to keep an eye patch on a 16 month old? NOT really easy. She ended up wearing it for about 30 minutes tonight. I had to order her patches online. They come in many pretty cute prints. Who wants just plain white for their princess, because, you know, she can see it and all and might become offended if she knew that I ordered white and there was pink camo as an option - NOT. Anyway, they got me and I ordered the "girly" pack, the fun pack #1 and the fun pack #2. That should give us plenty to make it until the end of July. Hopefully this will fix the wandering problem, otherwise we are looking at glasses and maybe surgery. Let's hope that it does not come to that.

Number 958

Here I am after my 1st 5K. Phew. I must admit, I didn't run the entire time, but I finished. I wasn't first and I wasn't last. My time was 41 minutes. It was fun. I didn't feel like I was going to die. This evening I am a little sore, but not unbearable. I think I'll do it again. Who knows - maybe I'll run Cowtown next year!

I'm Back

Sorry for the Hiatus. Things have been so busy with soccer season starting up and just daily life. My main focus today is to let you know about the 5K I have been training for. Yes, me, training for a 5K. It has been actually fun, and I look forward to my runs. Wow, I didn't thin those words would ever come out of my mouth. Anyway, I am running in the MS 5K on March 28th. I run in honor of a good friend who battles this disease every day. My hope is that a cure will be found while he is still young so that he can walk his daughters down the isle on their wedding day! (We love you J.) You can click here to visit my fundraising page and donate if you feel led.

Emily and the Bee

On Friday the 13th of February, Emily entered her first Regional Spelling Bee. I will start out by saying she did get out in the 3rd round. However, I must also add that the event started out with about 60 kids, and by the 3rd round she was one of 12 or so. Her words were: 1st round - Polka, 2nd round - Rupee, 3rd round Poignant - out. We were so proud of her. I don't think she was near as nervous as we were.

The girls are doing well. They are both really happy just cruising around. They are getting more verbal. Abby has said "mama", Izzy has said "Ball". They will both give a high five now. They are starting to look around and try to interact with their brothers and sisters, and even each other. Although lately, interacting consists of Abby taking a toy away from Izzy and Izzy biting Abby. They are sleeping better, in their own beds, mostly all night. They started passing the GI bug around again last week. Abby, Izzy, Josh and I have had it. Olivia had a touch of it and everyone else so far has been safe. Hopefully it will stop there, as Mema can't afford to get it again - ok, WE can't afford for Mema to get it again. She is convinced that everytime she gets sick, it is the sickest she has ever been. I have to remind her that in her now 87 years (TODAY) of living, she HAS to have been sicker than this at least once!

Well, the word is out. I am training for a 5K. When I thought of it and roped and or persuaded some co-workers to do it with me, another co-worker laughed. She said that it was not that big of a deal. I would beg to differ! I have always wanted to run. I thought it would be the most perfect exercise - just walk out the door and go. However, I have never been able to get over the whole "I can't breathe" part. Well, I found a "couch to 5 K" training program and have been working at it. I am up to running 8 minutes at a time - about 2 1/2 miles. I actually find myself WANTING to go out and exercise. Wow - I didn't think those words would ever come out of my mouth. Well, when looking for an event to run, we had to time it out so that we would have time to train. The Cowtown was out - TOO COLD. We found the MS walk and 5K. We have a co-worker with MS and I have a dear friend who also suffers with MS. I do this in their honor. Here is the site to my fundraising page if you feel so moved.

We recently spent a night at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. It was fun, but I wouldn't do it again. Too much money and Too many people. I'll get some pictures up soon.

Ice Day

We knew last night that school wouldn't start until 10 am. We slept until 8 - well Rocky and I slept until 8. I think everyone else was up. At about 8:45 I sat down at the computer while talking to my co-worker to see if I needed to come in to help and I got an email that school was closed. Rocky was really happy and of course the kids were too. I was wondering how things were going to thaw out in time to go to school because the road in front of my house is SOLID ice. Here are some pictures from just now outside. Now - take note - no broken bones. This is how I broke my arm when I was in 3rd grade...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Funny things in my dryer

Well, you would think with 7 children I had seen everything come through my dryer. We have had the markers, crayons, coins, rocks, legos and other toys, chapstick and I am sure many other things. I can remember the crayons. Someone had wrapped up crayons in a blanket or something I washed. It was the day of the garage sale. It was COLD and I was trying to do laundry too. I went to the dryer and everything was multicolor! The chapstick was the other day. I don't know who the culprit was but many things have oily stains on them now - don't tell Rocky....

Well, here is what I found just now!
Yes - that is a miniature rubber chicken.

Also, we just got notice that school will officially start at 10am - well, that is until they get up in the morning and realize it might not thaw out until after 12. Oh well, at least we can sleep late, right?

This week...

This week...Emily won the school spelling bee - the WHOLE thing. I guess the next step for her is the District Bee. She was so excited and embarrassed at the same time. I was at work and Rocky was texting me her place (final four, final two, etc) and then when she won, Emily said he cried like a girl. Here is a picture of her and the trophy - which is almost as big as she is!

This week...We had a baby reach 20 pounds. Anyone care to guess which one? Here are their growth charts...





You guessed it - Isabelle! Go Izzy!
Dad helped me take them to see the pulmonary clinic today. We have totally reached the stage that I cannot take them to the doctor by myself. If we were to use the stroller, they don't want to stay in it. I can't carry both car seats by myself very far - in to daycare is about to kill my back. They both got two shots to help protect them against RSV. So far, they are doing very well. They started back with runny noses, but no fevers, etc. One more round of shots at the end of February, and then they will not need them next year.

This has been a very emotional week, and we appreciate those of you who have been praying for us. We have (or at least I have) felt a real peace surrounding the "happenings". Thank You.