It's a ponytail!

Since Anna was small I decided to keep her hair short, she just looks cute with short hair!  Recently we decided to cut bangs, for a few reasons...but in the last few months Anna has insisted on growing her hair out long like Emma, she wants to do everything Emma does, so no surprise there!  She's always asking me to put her hair up in a ponytail even though it's too short to get it all up!  This particular day I finally gave in and put her hair up, even though half of it fell out right away, but she was happy she had a ponytail!!! 

Note the hair bow, her signature hairpiece, she even wears them to bed!!!

Once Anna had her hair up Lizzy (who never wants a hair bow in) decided she should give it a try...

She looks so cute with a ponytail!  Too bad she wouldn't let me put a barrett in to keep her bangs back too!

Silly girls with ponytails!!!

Operation Christmas Child!

I'm sure most of you have heard of Operation Christmas Child!  For those of you who have not, I'll direct you to Samaritan's Purse, the organization that created Operation Christmas Child, by clicking HERE :)  We've had the opportunity to pack a shoebox for each of our kiddos for a few years now, I looked back at my blog to see if I could find previous posts, and for some reason I can't find any?!  I know I've taken pictures of the shoeboxes every year, so as soon as I find them I'll post them :)

One thing we are always trying to teach our kiddos is to serve others, especially around The Holidays when the world screams it's all about you!  People by nature are selfish, it's our job as parents to teach our children it's not always about them (once they are old enough to understand :).  The older our kiddos get, the more we realize how important this is becoming!  Operation Christmas Child is a tangible way for our kiddos to serve by giving to other children less fortunate.  It also gives us the opportunity to teach them about why we serve and give to others, to be more like Christ in everything we do!  

Each child gets a shoebox for their age & gender, we go to the store (I also pick up things throughout the year we can use), pick up items that they would like to give (age appropriate), pack them up and send them off.  Our girls LOVE picking out items for their "girl"...

Some items we sent were jump ropes, socks, hair bows, lip gloss, stuffed animal, bubbles, markers, pens, paper, small purse and other "girly" things.  

Jack especially LOVED picking out all the "boy" stuff, but not so much when we had to put all the things in the box!  In Jack's box we sent toy balls, cars, stuffed animal, football, paper & pens and other various "boy" things! 

Something new this year to Operation Christmas Child is a way to track your box!  Every year we write a little note & send a picture with our boxes, we've never gotten a response back, but this year we can track where the box ends up!  Just another way for our kiddos to see their boxes are being sent to "real" girls/boy and to remind them to pray for those little girls and boy!

Today starts of National Collection Week, so it's not too late!  I strongly encourage you if you haven't already packed a box for Operation Christmas Child, today is the day!    There are collection sites all over the place, so it's convenient too!  Go to Samaritans Purse for more information and directions!

*******UPDATE**********

Here's a shot of the kiddos in 2008 with their shoeboxes!!!

Another National Month?

Did you know that November is National Epilepsy Month?  I never thought I'd be blogging about Epilepsy, but since April of this year it became very real to us.  Emma is doing so well since being diagnosed with Epilepsy in May.  Epilepsy is a blanket term for people with a "seizure disorder", in Emma's case she has Simple Partial Seizures-affecting her right side, chest up.   She continues to take medication twice a day and will continue to do so until May of 2012 (unless she has another seizure between now and then, she must be seizure free for TWO years before they will allow her to be taken off the medication).  She has minimal side effects, usually only when we have to adjust her medication and they only last a few days!  

The most difficult part for me as a Mom is having to forewarn and make others aware of her "medical condition", the risk of a seizure and what to do if she has one.  Also letting her go and have fun despite her "medical condition".  Even after an MRI, CT scan, EEG and other neurological tests Emma's neurologist was unable to determine the cause or trigger for Emma's seizures (in 70% of cases there is no known cause), so although Emma has been seizure free since May of 2010, they could happen at any time.  With that she has medication she must keep with her at all times in addition to her daily medication.  This medicine is for a prolonged seizure (lasting 5 minutes) or cluster seizures (back to back seizures), it is a very strong and very expensive medication, she has one to keep at school and one I keep with me when she's with me at home or out and about.  This medication is basically liquid vallium, so in addition to having to use it she would have to be seen ASAP at the hospital.  

Since being diagnosed Emma's neurologist strongly suggested a medical ID bracelet, which we let Emma pick out, that she never takes off.  She has recently gotten to the point where she doesn't want to wear the bracelet or people to know she has Epilepsy.  Usually after reminding her why she takes the medicine, to prevent seizures, she knows she must take her medicine, wear the bracelet and make others aware so that they can help!  

We are extremely thankful that Emma doesn't have more frequent seizures, since Emma's diagnosis, we have met two children in our church with Epilepsy.  One is younger boy (Anna's age) who has seizures frequently and has use of a "canine" helper, the other is a girl a year or two older than Emma who had Epilepsy and has grown out of it (which is what we are hoping for Emma).  We are also very thankful for the medical insurance we have, her daily medication costs coupled with her "emergency" medication, neurologist visits, EMS, ER visit, initial tests and doctors she saw = a lot of money, but God provided!!! 

Epilepsy is serious and affects so many people around the world, I ask that you take the time to be educated, you never know when you might be around someone having a seizure and you could be the one to help!  Take this quiz to Get Seizure Smart!

Wordless Wednesday...Goofball Anna

Jack -Jack

I wanted to give a quick update on Jack and his non-talking disposition I blogged about a few weeks ago.  Turns out when we started making him talk, he started to (what a surprise and a relief)!  I spoke to his AWANA leaders at church, Sunday School Teachers and Sunday night crew to start making him ask for things by name instead of just signing "please" or "more" that coupled with us doing the same at home has doubled his vocabulary, especially in the past 2 weeks!!!  There are still many words that are un-recognizable to complete strangers, but at least he's trying!!!  I will also talk with his pediatrician when we go in January for his TWO year check-up, wow can't believe he's almost 2 years old!!!

We are so thankful for our little boisterous boy and all of his new vocabulary, new this week: "Mine" (with an extreme southern accent), "dow" (down), "elpew" (help you) and "O00-jew" (hold you)!  His favorite words are still "Emma", "Anna", "Zizzy" and of course "Mama" (which he now says with major attitude) and "Dada"!  I think you'll be surprised if you haven't seen or "talked" with him in a while :)