2!

Our little Nate turned TWO on the weekend!! I guess he's not so little anymore, but he'll always be my 'baby'!

When we left Edmonton, I was already thinking ahead to Nate's upcoming birthday. I didn't have any specifics in mind, other than there was going to be one HUGE party....and absolutely everyone was going to be invited!

Then, after being home only a week, we had the whole pneumonia thing come up, and I realistically told myself that it really wasn't the smartest idea at all. So, I was fine with just our little family having a nice little birthday party together.....until my sisters got involved. They would have none of this 'low-key' birthday celebration! (It reminded me of the Christmas Eve that Nate got bronchiolitis - and the two of them personally came to my house to bring Nate and I to Mom and Dad's!) They planned a fabulous day in Winnipeg at Brady's favorite cousin's house! After watching my amazing niece rock the volleyball court, we headed back to the H home to get the party started!

The kids enjoyed 'their' pizza party first....

And then the adults moved on to a Chinese take on a birthday supper!

Nate did his best to blow out his candles (through his nose....when do they catch on to that blowing thing!?!).

Nate and his big cousin had to check out the ducks, who were hanging out on the neighbor's lawn.

It was a super great day! We sure missed the Schmidt's from TO....can't wait to party with you all too!

Thanks Bonnie and Michele. You guys rock. I love you both so much!!!

A Glimpse

just put together a little video for Nate. If you followed his story, you've seen most of these pictures, but I still thought I'd share it with everyone here.

I'm Glad I Have Boys!!!

I know that one day, sooner than I probably think, they're going to be taking care of me! Why am I so confident? Because it's already started!

This morning, I walked into the sunroom toward the door to go outside. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. Just outside the door was a little bird, who had obviously had an up close encounter with the windows and now lay dead on the patio.

Now, I'm not a wimpy kind of person. However, I do not touch dead animals. I actually went as far as to get a hockey stick to see if maybe I'd be able to push the bird into a garbage bag. AGH! No, I couldn't even do that.

So what's a mommy to do? Enlist the help of my 4 year old!

Brady had absolutely no trouble doing this.

So glad to have boys in the house!!

In other news, Nate has been doing really well. We're halfway through the antibiotics and he doesn't seem to be too bothered by the pneumonia at this point. He's very happy to be outside, playing with his brother, going for walks and swinging at the park. Still no news from his cardiologist about what's going to happen next. Hopefully we hear soon, although for the time being, we're enjoying just living in the moments!

Yay for Pnuemonia!!

And I actually mean that with all sincerity! I think there were a few of us tonight that were pretty relieved to hear this wasn't heart related. Yes, it is more complex because of the heart situation, but is not being caused as a result of the heart situation.

We're on our way home from Winnipeg now, with Nate. And even if this ride may be considered 'second class', I'll take my Odyssey anyday, over our mode of transportation going in. Although Nate (lover of all things with lights and sirens) did enjoy seeing it!

I'm so thankful for doctors who aren't too proud to say something is out of their comfort zone, and send you to the people who do know.

Thanks for praying!
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone on the MTS High Speed Mobility Network

In the ER

Just waiting for X-ray and blood results. Will most likely be sending us "first class" to Winnipeg. They think it could be something infectious (pneumonia?). They're not totally comfortable treating him here.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone on the MTS High Speed Mobility Network

1st Follow-up Appointment

We went in to see Nate's cardiologist in Winnipeg today. The really good news is the fluid around Nate's heart isn't there anymore!! The not so great news is the band that they placed isn't tight enough to be making a difference. Whereas in surgery, the pressure after the band was placed was at about 60, post surgery and today included, the number is down to about 30.

They did talk to us about that in Edmonton, saying things weren't where they needed to be. The hope was that maybe as he grows and his heart also grows and gets bigger, the band would be applying the correct amount of pressure to affect the leaky valve. The problem is the length of time that it would take for that amount of growth to happen, and that we run the risk of putting him into failure in the mean time.

Dr. Soni is going to conference with a doctor at Toronto's heart centre about Nate's situation. They have a technology there that Edmonton does not have for measuring pressures in the heart. If this doctor feels that he would be able to do the surgery and tighten to the appropriate degree with that technology, then that would be the next plan of action.

She's hoping to get back to us next week! For now, we get to say good bye to two of the drugs Nate was on for the fluid around his heart! That makes us happy! And if Nate could tell us, he'd say he was pretty thrilled about that idea, too!