Our Summer...

Okay, I know I'm a little behind on updating. I've had several emails asking when I'm going to update next so I'm finally doing that.

We are having a great summer. We took a week off over the 4th of July and spent some quality family time around home. Matthew is doing great. He is finally sitting up on his own. He is rolling all over the floor and he just started getting up on his knees and rocking a little. Where has time gone? He is growing up so fast! His 2 bottom teeth are so cute. He loves showing them off. We think he is working on those upper ones now because his gums are swollen and he chews on everything.

Taylor is a huge help with Matthew. He admires her so much. He is constantly watching her and wants to be right next her. The cutest thing is to see them playing together. She loves to cook with her play dishes and Matthew eats everything she cooks. He sits right in the middle of all of the dishes and Taylor serves him. She also loves reading to him. We love listening to the stories she tells him. She has a very vivid imagination. Bath time is also a big hit in our house. They love to play in the tub together, sitting and splashing.

We went to Wildlife Prairie Park and the kids loved it. Here are a few pictures and a video of our fun day.

Taylor's backyard sprinkler fun with her cousins Jordan and Brandon...

July 4th was so much fun. Craig's brother and his family came over and the dads camped outside with the kids. I stayed inside with Matthew (I'm not much for tent camping!). Aunt Patty decided to stay inside too.Taylor enjoyed it so much that she keeps asking to do it again. We had a camp fire and we enjoyed some fireworks that daddy and Uncle Chad displayed for us.

Matthew was very cranky for a few weeks and was having some screaming episodes at night. I called his cardiologist and he wanted to see him. They had some concern with the coarctation of the aorta. Matthew had an echo done and everything came back okay. Matthew is so much more active now so having the echo done was very interesting. Thank God for Gerber Puffs. He ate half a bag and we dipped his paci in Sucrose (sugar water - one of Matthew's favorites in the PICU). Dr. Hasselman decided to run some lab work while we were there to make sure his medications aren't damaging his kidneys. They came back fine too. We are leaving him on his blood pressure medication awhile longer before we start weaning. He is still running on the high side. All in all, we are assuming the fussiness is from teething. Matthew doesn't have any tolerance for pain, but then again who can blame him after everything he's been through.

All is well in our family. We're just enjoying our summer and some great family time. Thanks for keeping up with our family progress. Matthew is doing well and he is has joined his sister in being the highlight of our summer!