5th Birthday

We just got done celebrating GJ's 5th birthday day. He had a lot of fun and enjoyed his thomas and friends cake! Happy happy birthday to my precious boy!

 He is now officially a 5 years old boy!

Happy Birthday my only boy!

 I made his shirt's applique since he likes train

 And of-course a Thomas and Friends cake

 Playing with his cousin

 With Dad

 ...and with grandma

 he was taking a peek of what is inside the gift bag

 he loved it!

 this is picture was actually before we started and didn't have much photos :(

 Kathlyn was saying " oh so cute! look at me..."

 It look nice on your fingers sweetie!

 my lovely daughter interacting with granny, aunt su, and cousin Austin

 can't bet dad's funny looking smile!

 my daughter and her cousin...

Anyway, we had a lot of fun on his birthday!

Wedding Anniversary

Today we are celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary... Happy Anniversary to my beloved husband!

Last day of being 4 years old

Time flies when you are having fun as what they say. Yup! It is true. My little boy will be turning 5 pretty soon!  Soon as in half an hour. Anyway here is a glimpse of his day today.

I hope he wont be a nudest anymore. And I am hoping that he can put his pants right when he turn five and wont be lazy put his brief on.

Anyway, I order a Thomas and Friends cake for him since he likes Thomas the tank engine. I also ordered pizza. We will only have a small pizza party for him and I know he will be happy to see his cake. I can't wait to see his reactions tomorrow!
Advance happy birthday to my little prince!

HopeKids event: Jumpstreet

We had a great time at the Jumpstreet indoor trampoline park courtesy by Hopekids. When I signed for this event I didn't even know if my kids will love it since Gerald Jay is a little bit cautious on everything and I thought that he would not enjoy it. But I said, I would like to try.

Well, here it is...they are having a lot of fun jumping! At first GJ will not stand on the trampoline but when he figured out that it was fun to bounce ... he never stop bouncing for almost two hours. When we got home they were so tired that they fell asleep quickly.
Again, I would like to thank the HOPEKIDS program for the great opportunity to try new adventure for my kids that I would never ever think that we would do for our selves. Thank you very much Hopekids!

Preschool GraduationT

Today is Gj's preschool graduation. He will be five years old soon, and he is going to full kindergarten next school year. His pre-school teacher Ms. Johnson said that Gj is ready for kinder. I am so thankful that GJ learned a lot from Ms. Johnson class. He loves his teacher and he knows their routine. I just can't believe that he is going to kinder now. Time flies so fast. Five years ago, I still remember what the doctor told me that " he is not gonna make it". I guess Gj proved them wrong. My fun and loving boy is growing so fast! I just can't believe it! Thanks be to God for saving him and for taking care of all of us!

Feeding Issues Again!

Greetings!

A couple weeks ago, I got an idea of how to wean Gerald jay off from the night drip. We normally feed him the whole night for about 80 cc an hour until 5 o'clock in the morning and then 6 am we give his medications.

We did this night feeding ever since, since he has severe acid reflex. But lately I notice that he hasn't been throwing up for quite sometimes, and he can drink his milk from a cup or a bottle ( thickened) about 7 to 8 ounces at a time. He's been doing that for quite sometimes also. So, I think his stomach been stretch enough to handle the big amount of milk.

So, I decided that to chance his feeding time. He needs 1700ml of fluid a day and 1200 Kcal. Everyday I prepared his milk in a big bottle that worth a whole day feeding and give him the rest of the milk that he didn't finish during the night through the feeding pump for couple hours.

We were successful for a week at this without feeding him the whole night. So I said, " great, I think we are heading to a good feeding schedule now". 

I think, I spoke too soon! Few days ago, my son showing less interest of drinking his milk from a cap. We ended up feeding him through the tube all the time and more and more milk left over for a night drip.

How can we move on from night feeding to totally day feeding?

It is getting a little frustrating sometimes!

My kids and I

My mother's day photo with my children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day To All

Training Bike

When I came back home from the store this afternoon, my husband pointed to me while my son was riding a training bike. He thought that I didn't know that he can pedal the training bike now. I said he started using the training bike last week. Then he told me to write on his baby book ( which I always forget to do). But he made sure that he got few pictures and video of him riding the bike. This is one of the PT goal for this time. I guess the goal for him to ride a training bike has been met.

 I have to mention that our bike at home is a whole lot smaller that the training bike that he uses at the therapy clinic. He can reach the pedal now without any problem.

 Sometimes that rear wheel just spins when he pedals and the bike was not moving forward. Maybe its because he was riding on dirt and not on the pave road.

And here he is with Ms. Nancy with a bigger training bike. When he pedal this bike it goes backwards and locked up the wheels, it makes him really frustrated. Plus he could hardly reach the pedal too.

Well, the next time that he goes to PT with Ms. Nancy , daddy said that he is going to bring his own bike and show it to his therapist. That will make her happy :-).

Ist day of May - At the Park

I can't believe that it is month of May already. What happen to April??? LOL time flies when you are having fun.

Anyway, we took the kids to the park today. It was a good timing to be at the park today because the ticket was sold at the cheaper price in celebration of Cinco De Mayo. The price was really a cheap since the bracelet ticket was almost $20 a pop I think and today they sold it for $7. Yehey! I'd better purchase the yearly pass which is a whole lot cheaper. Anyhow, the kids enjoyed the ride today because it was unlimited. We rode the train I think 5 times and some other ride. They can only handle couple hours at the amusement center, and they are becoming grouchy. When that happen it is time to go home :)).

Kathlyn was quite excited to take a ride on a carousel. She kept saying, " are you coming?"

Here are they, waiting for the carousel to stop and get on it.

This is actually the second ride :) Gerald actually doing well riding the carousel this time. Normally he likes to sit on my lap.

This was new to me also that Gerald Jay actually get into that car with his little sister.

The airplane--- Gj has no object to ride it :-) , but KC can't she was too small :(

she was so sad that she couldn't ride with her brother, so I took her to ride the helicopter

then  later when brother was done with the plane ride , he joined with her. But he was covering his ears. Noise sensitive sometimes...just noticed it!

the last helicopter ride KC decided not to go with her brother...she was tired and being grouchy.

but she keep an eye on him :)

the last train ride

Just me 25 weeks prego :-)

Fetal Echo

Greetings!

I had a fetal echocardiogram this morning at the Eller Congenital Center ( St. Joe's). The result is great! My baby Madison have a healthy heart! Yehey!

Easter

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! My family surely had a great Easter at my mother-in-law's house. We had a great dinner, and it was good to see all the members of our family.

My kids had fun egg hunting at their grandma's backyard. I didn't grew up in egg hunting, so I don't know how to do it :-). What I did was I put all the eggs in the basket and gave it them this morning after church. Which I think my little daughter enjoyed the colorful eggs. So, when we arrive at grandma's house, she took the kids in the backyard and teach them how to find the eggs. Thanks MOM! 

I was actually surprise that the kids knows what to do after they found their first egg. My daughter kept saying, "anymore?" here are some of our photo this Easter!

Big balls for the kids waiting in the backyard :0)

Happy to find the first egg!

 Gj has no idea what was going on

 Kathlyn found the egg again.

 He saw the egg, but he ignore it so I made him take it before the little girl does.

 He found it by himself..good job baby G!

 nice car you got there baby G!

 Kathlyn found the last egg.

Kathlyn and big brother

Good Friday

I missed celebrating Holy week with my family! I came from Philippines which is almost 90% of population are catholic. My family is one of them. We do not eat meat for holy Wednesday until Easter Sunday. Holy Monday and Tuesday as much as possible we avoided to eat meat as well. Holy Thursday and Good Friday we go to church and joined the procession. My dad normally help push the cart where the dead of Jesus laid down for few hours depending on the route that the church planned to cover.

Here in the US is totally different. Holy week is the same as the ordinary week. I remember only one Good Friday I went to church in 2004 since I came here a week before the Holy week. After that I celebrate most of my holy week at work or at home because we do not have a car to go church.

Today, I woke up planning to go to church with my kids. The station of the cross will start at 3pm, but I still don't have a car to use for transportation. Renting a cab is quite expensive and I cannot afford that. I was thinking to take the bike trailer to haul my kids , but the weather is quite warm, they will be cooked in that trailer for few hours...sighhhh oh what to do! what to do! Nothing actually, but pray at home from the bottom of my heart. HAVE A GOOD FRIDAY EVERYONE!

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I was able to go to church before my husband went to work today. I saw the church schedule that they were having a station of the cross from 12nn. So, I went and did  the station of the cross by my self and offered some prayers for our friend who is in the hospital recovering from the major heart surgery. Thanks to our Lord for saving us from sins.

School celebrate Spirit Week! - Outfit inside out

 This week GJ wore weird outfit. Dad read the letter from the school , and he did chose the clothing for Gj that day. I was not gonna let him participate, but dad already planned for it :-) good for him.

 I was in KC's room when I saw them outside the front yard. I took some photos of them as a remembrance of that day.

 He was happy as you can see. He is feeling great and enjoying the life of a 4 years old.

 Of course my little daughter always takes him to the bus stop. SHe is a happy girl too. This is dad's job every morning..taking care of the kids and take them to the bus stop. Mommy on the other hand ...sleeping in :D.

Kathlyn's 2nd year Well- Check

Kathlyn had her second year well-check today. She received only one poke today ouchhh! She is a tough girl, so she didn't cry much. About KC's health wise, "she is perfect" as Dr. Gerald Golner said. Oh by the way, we love Dr. G. He is "THE BEST" pediatrician in town :-).

Kathlyn and Dr. Golner

 She was very good of following instructions during the well- check. No problem at all! Good job baby girl!

Gerald Jay and Dr. Golner

Well,  of course brother GJ was jealous that Dr. G was holding KC. Ralph had to take Gj out of the rooma nd came back later after KC's was done. And it was his turned to be on his lap :-).
What we like about Dr. G is that he gave the kids fair attention even it wasn't GJ's time to be check!
Thanks a lot Dr. G. Golner !

Eller Congenital Meeting--- Goodbye to Dr. Cleveland

I don't know where to start of today's(4-19-11)  event . Gerald and I attended a meeting at the Eller Congenital (St. Joe's) basically just to say "thank you and goodbye" to Dr. Cleveland. But my little heart hero show off to the crowd how well he is now :D. He run to the stage and play hide and seek with me when I tried to get him off the stage. Off course the program just started, then he laid down on the stage. I chose the very end seat  and give him some toys to play with; however, my boy just couldn't keep his growling noise low. So, while Dr. Cleveland saying goodbye I had to take GJ back home ( it took me about 35 minutes back and fort) and came back to the meeting. Dr. C was already left and I didn't get a chance to say " thank you and goodbye". But he saw how well was GJ after the fontan and as far as I can see from his face, he was really happy to GJ was doing well. GJ gave him a hug!

To Dr. Cleveland,

My family are grateful for saving our son's life. He won't be here to this day if it wasn't your and Dr. Nigro's saving hands. Please accept out gratitude from the bottom of our hearts and goodluck! God bless!

I didn't have any picture of Gj and Dr. Cleveland. If my son ask me who did his surgeries, I don't have any picture to show him what his surgeon looked like :(. I am so sad for that. But the Laura the NP at cardiac clinic told me she'll give me a picture of Dr. C from thier office. Thanks to that.

Also, ST. Joseph's Medical and PCH are merging in June. Too bad I didn't hear all the information about this merging because I left before Dr. C finished his farewell message. When I cam back, I only hear the portion of " questions and answers". But I am pretty sure that either hospital will take care of our heart kids.