Sweet and Sour

He goes back for more...but with caution!! Smart boy! Tanner was sweet enough to share his popsicle and within seconds Hunter took it over....Surprise! The kid likes to eat.

Hey There Blue Eyes

My eyes are brown....with a hint of green....but mainly brown. When I look at my eyes in the mirror I think earthy, solid and more common than not. You always want what you cannot have and in that spirit I will admit I would convert to blue eyes in a heartbeat. One quick heartbeat. Look at Lainey's baby blues eyes....wow it literally takes my breath away. You can almost see into her soul. They are so pure, so sweet and so innocent. Lord only knows why her momma brought her to my place where my brown eyed boy would rough her up.....

Lainey...do not hold it against him....he pushes you, throws balls at you and waves his hands around ruggedly because he likes you....I swear. We love you blue eyes.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk Boys

We escaped the 100+ degree weather in Tracy by heading over the beach! We rode the roller coaster, ate fried food, let the cold ocean waves cool our toes and enjoyed being together. Our vacation is off to a GREAT start!!

Today Hunter Cut his first molar!!

We are making sure to take good care of all his teeth!!

Today is the day!!

Our Canadian family arrives!! Wade is picking them up at the airport this afternoon....Let the fun begin!

Sweet Nectar

A few weeks ago we took a field trip to the local county zoo. There was an atrium set up and full of Larikeets. These birds are bursting with color! They filled up tiny cups of sweet nectar for us to feed the birds. One bird thought Wade's freckle was more appetizing!!

Being this close to wild life always makes my heart beat a bit faster. I am not scared or afraid just excited. These birds are so full of life...singing, jumping, eating, flying....I stand in awe of how creative God is as I learn more about each of his creatures....including myself:)

Bj's I love your beer!

It smooths out a rough day, plus it is delicious!


-- Post From My iPhone

Happy Father's Day!

Wade you are an amazing father. There is no limit to your love for your son. I remember that as we planned and prepared for the arrival of Hunter you were so nervous....you did not know what to expect or if he would be healthy or what Hunter would be like or if your feelings of love and attachment would fall into place as quickly as mine. Now we know....there is an abundance of love pouring out of us both for this little man. Thank you for every second of time, every ounce of effort and for every drop of love you pour into our son. I love you Wade.

Who knew....

Artichoke bloomed? I LOVE farmers market....

The RESULTS are in....

Negative. Not Cystic Fibrosis.

Like a cool breeze on a hot muggy day this news is relief. Sweet relief.

Mother do not freak out.....

Yes my husband is holding my one year old son and an albino boa constrictor snake at the circus. The snake is real and yes I was nervous.....but how COOL! Wade is so adventurous. Everyone was standing by watching, too scared to step up and hold the slithering, scaly, dangerous snake....then Wade walks up with Hunter and the handler hands over the snake. I bet some people thought that child services should have come and taken our son away....but who cares what they think.

Hunter your dad is COOL. He rides a Harley, holds huge snakes, owns guns, is scared of nothing...but loosing you. Soak it up son.

Testing 1, 2 , 3....

Wade and Hunter are at the hospital today for testing. Hunter is having a sweat test done in order to rule out Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is a genetic disorder where your body created too much mucus, and it causes many lung issues. We are almost sure that this is not what Hunter has...but I want to be 100% sure....so off to testing the boys go. They have to make Hunter sweat on his arm and then they gather the sweat. It is painless...the trick is to get Hunter to hold still and keep the collectors on! We should know something by the end of the week.

As for his progress in general...not much to report. Less wheeze, no spit or runny nose but the cough is still very much a part of every day life...and the wheeze that come around eating time. The more we learn the more it looks like he is aspirating food and drink into his lungs. We will not know for sure until they perform the swallow test which is not scheduled yet.

Wade plays just as big of a role in parenting and day to day care as I do. We always try to both be at his appointments, but some times only one of us can make it. I am sad not to be there but I am grateful to have Wade as my team mate in this parenting adventure we are on....Hunter you have two active, involved and loving parents. Today your daddy took a day off so he could be with you in your appointments, he loves you and wants you to be happy and healthy. Soak it up son.

Father's Day Month continues!

Wade and Hunter look so much alike. I look at my son and I see my husband in him. I asked Wade to find his favorite picture of Hunter and daddy and this is it! I would have chosen some fancy professional picture, but Wade likes the real life shots. He says that it is just in every day life that he finds the greatest joy and he wants to remember those moments first. No bells or whistles or fancy shows...just rolling around on the ground with the dog, watering the garden, fixing the neighbors computer, putting away the laundry, eating dinner in the kitchen, rocking baby to sleep kinda days. Simplicity. Simply loved and cared for. Soak it up son.

Oh Say can you see.....

I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be married to a Canadian. I am excited for Hunter to know and love both countries. The Fourth of July is just a few short weeks away and we are ready.

One of the great American privileges is to bare arms, to protect ourselves. Men have fought and died in order for us to be free and have these rights. Hunter, your dad bought you a knife for your first birthday. He plans on buying you a knife every year for your birthday. At first this was scary for me....why do you need so many knifes? Will you hurt yourself? Then I began to realize that this was a way for your dad to share a hobby of his with you. He collects knifes and each knife he has is full of memories and meaning. He wanted to build memories and meaning with you. He wants you to know each year you are loved. He wants you to be able to protect yourself. He wants you to learn ow to hunt and fish. He will teach you. Trust him. Learn from him. Be careful with that knife, it commands respect, just as your father does. Soak it up son.

Almond Tree

Well as you can see we have been doing plenty of growing around here! The tree is much taller than me now obviously, and my little man is growing too!!

Harvest is just a few months away...I have begun to write all of my lists of the projects and preparations that must be completed in order to focus on harvest once it begins. The weather has not been too hot...which is really weird for this time of year. I am enjoying every second of spring weather God has to offer this year. Spring weather is perfect for gardening, being outdoors, long walks and light breezes to cool off the house.

As I prepare for harvest I also begin to think about all of hard work and long hours ahead of me. I do not want to be away from my family...but I know that it will pass quickly and there will be some opportunities for Hunter to come to work with me!

Prince

Hunter, you are my Prince and your father is my King! You both wear your crowns with great pride. Your father loves you and crowns you. Soak it up son.

Grandpa's are dad's too!

Grandpa Doug! Hunter, you are his first boy....he has been dealing with girls for more than 27 years and now, finally, his boy is here. He can play rough, get dirty and talk sports. He beams with pride when he holds you and not because you are a boy but because you are his grandchild, his first. He takes time to come see you, he gets down on the floor and plays with you, he wants to be the one pushing the stroller and he prays for you constantly. He loves you. Soak it up son.

Dad, there are few places that I am completely at ease. When you are in the room, I feel so safe. I am free to me. I am loved just as I am. God created me and gave me to you and mom with great purpose and intention. My first year with Hunter has just helped me understand the depth and power of love a parent has for a child. Thanks Dad.

Thanks for not throwing me out when I was a punk
Thanks for taking me to Indian Princesses
Thanks for punishing me and for teaching me right from wrong
Thanks for loving my mother and giving me a true example of what a husband looks like
Thanks for putting me through college
Thanks for not turning your back on me when I was pregnant and not married
Thanks for walking me down the isle and giving me the wedding of my dreams
Thanks for putting mom first and Kristin and I second
Thanks for taking us to church every Sunday
Thanks for intentionally fathering me.

I love you.

HACCP Certificate

It came in the mail....finally! It is official that I passed my food and safety audit!! I want to run home and post this on the fridge. Some people like stuff pinned up to the fridge and others do not. Wade and I have frequent conversations about what is up on the fridge. I could fill 5 fridges with everything I want to post up and he could have nothing up......marriage is all about the middle ground. So I will post this on the fridge at work!!

Whose driving?

Hunter you may think that you are diving and that you are in charge...but you are not. Your dad is. The best part ... he is letting you think that this is all you baby. Some day you will realize that your dad is always behind you, supporting you, encouraging you, challenging you, driving you....I hope that you find great peace and comfort in know that he is there. Soak it up son.

Father's Day Month

In order to properly celebrate Father's Day month I plan on posting every day from now until June 21....

The Transfer of knowledge...

It does not happen from touching heads or mixing up a magic potion. It happens from walking through life with someone that mentors, teaches and shares what they have learned with you.

Hunter I want you to know today that your dad loves you. He takes the time to play with you on the front lawn during sunset in the summer time. The weather is warm and the whole neighborhood is out walking their dogs and stopping to chat. He is teaching you, sharing with you and spending every moment possible with you. Soak it up son.

Answers

Hunter and I drove to Oakland Children's Hospital on Friday morning. No traffic, perfect directions, sleeping baby and 15 minutes early....I am not sure I have ever been this smooth since Hunter has been born.

We saw Dr. Hsia, pronounced like shaw. He listened to me. For 45 minutes we talked, Hunter coughed, spit up and wheezed perfectly on que. We came out with a plan of action. He believes that Hunter has two issues.

1. Acid Reflux. This was hard for me to believe at first due to how fat and chubby my son is....also he does not cry during or resist feeding like most reflux babies do. Hunter does have all the other signs of reflux, including reflux that actually soils the lungs.

2. Aspiration of Food. Every time Hunter eats or drinks he is aspirating a part of it into his lungs. This is the main cause of the wet cough.

Our course of action is a heavy duty antacid, an inhaler steroid and more tests. We are going to have a swallow study done to find out if he is in fact aspirating his food. Finally we are going to have a test performed to rule out Cystic Fibrosis. July 15 is when our check up is scheduled if we do not have any positive results then we will scope his airway and take a look at what is going on.

Thanks for all of your prayers on our road to a wheeze-less life.

Sister, you are always welcome

My sister called me at work yesterday to find out if it was OK if she came up to Tracy for a visit this weekend....duh.....of course you are always welcome.....in fact my heart is teeming with joy at the thought of getting to spend some time with you, just you, I will have you all to myself.

I think she worries that Hunter will not know who she is....or that perhaps she is no longer important since I have gotten married and had a baby. True things have changed in my life, but my love for her has only grown deeper. Watching her love my baby boy, seeing her allow my husband to be the brother she never had and spending time with her on the biggest and most important days of my life....all of these moments just allow my love for her grow and grow and grow.

She moved to LA this past weekend to start her second masters program at USC. She wants to help people overcome injuries just as she has overcome her own. She has found a passion for something...she has found her place inside this chaotic world. As she narrows in on her goal I cannot help but feel overwhelmed with pride. She is my sister and I love her today more than ever before.

It is moments like these I know that Wade and I need to have another baby someday so that Hunter may have what my sister and I have....a bond beyond friendship or family....it is an indescribable bond of love and understanding.

June I am so glad you are here!!

This June is going to be a month to remember! Wade's birthday, Kristin's bachlorette in the city, the Candians are coming for almost two weeks and fathers day!! I am planning on taking a week off to spend time with Sherry, Neil, Tanner and Grandma!! A whole week off...I just might forget I have a job.

We have been waiting and waiting to see our Canadians and the time is almost here.....this is better than Christmas!! June 25....the countdown is on.

Answers are Coming!!

We finally have a date and time scheduled to take Hunter to the Oakland Children's Hospital. We finally will have answers to this annoying wheeze.

Friday at 9am.

Finally.