The weather has been so strange lately. We had some really warm days this past week. It felt like summer, but we started the week much colder and now this weekend, we're back to the frigid air. Of course, it is nothing like what people up north are experiencing. I guess we should be thankful for that.

The kids are doing fine. Abby has been busy with school and playing at home. Pam had a heart-to-heart discussion with Abby about karate and they may be about to give it up. Abby doesn't seem too fond of the idea of other people throwing her around in karate class. Unfortunately, that goes with the territory. So, Pam is going to see if we can get her into a local Girl Scout troop. That may be more her speed any way. Abby seems excited about it.

David has been challenging us on his naps and sleeping at night. We had about a week and a half where he would wake up between 3 and 5 in the morning. Sometimes we could get him to stay in bed, other times, we had to keep him contained in our room. It got to be too much when he kept jumping out of bed, running to his door and calling out "Mom?" or crying. I had to put my foot down and get stern with him. He is doing better now, but still gives us some grief when he initially goes down to sleep. On the upside, he is talking more and more and starting to put together more phrases. It is fun to watch his little mind at work.

Pam has been helping her sister deliver meals on wheels lately. She tells me it is a very humbling experience. You really appreciate how well life is going for you when you see the troubles other people are having to endure.

I got to play music at two different jams last weekend. One Saturday afternoon and the other on Sunday afternoon. I had fun, met some new and very talented musicians, but I also realized how much I still don't know how to do on my instruments. Now I'm feeling more incentive to practice and expand my abilities. I hope to push myself up a notch or two before I go to Pete Wernick's Bluegrass Jam Camp in March.

Abby earns her yellow belt!

From Karate

We got to watch Abby earn her yellow belt in her karate class last night. She did a good job and we're so proud of her for sticking with this. She had a good time and never looked nervous. It was fun to watch her throw a boy over her shoulder and down to the floor.

From Karate

Her new belt also came with a set of nunchucks and she will have to start doing routines with the nunchucks for future tests. The higher she goes in the belt classes, the more weapons they introduce to her.

This week, Abby brought home the best report card she has ever had. She is doing so well in school and learning so much. Her reading abilities have been improving as well. She can read her chapter books so quickly now that we're joking that she must be doing it Evelyn Wood style.

David had a checkup and blood pressure test with his pediatrician this week. He's doing fine and his blood pressure is finally under control, so we now have the right combination of medications at work in him. He remains in the 25 percentile on his growth chart, so he is still growing at the same rate as before. He is also picking up so many new words that we can no longer keep track of them. He says dozens of new words each day. Just last night, he said "Grandma" to my mother for the first time. We have been waiting for him to start addressing my parents with names. We're still working on "Grandpa." He does say "Papa" when talking about Pam's father.

Life is pretty good right now, so no complaints here.

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY, DAVID!

From 2009-01 (Jan)

Today, David turned 2 years old. We had a small family gathering at our house for supper and David's party. Pam made a home-made birthday cake in the shape of a giant cupcake. It turned out really cute. David loved it. He said, "Mmmm, Yum!" with his mouth full of cake. He had a lot of really cool presents which Abby helped him open and helped him set up and play with as well. We took lots of pictures and I shot some video, but I haven't gone through it yet to see what is going to be worth posting. Our niece, Lacy, also took many pictures. She has shared her collection with us and we have selected a representative sample of them to display for you to see.

It is such a wonderful thing to be celebrating David's 2nd birthday. Pam and I have been reflecting back on David's life up to this point and it amazes us how far he has come. From his frightfully rocky beginning, to his continued care at home, all the medicines, doctors, miles driven, the immense support from our friends and church family and the countless prayers from more people than we will ever know. We are so grateful to have a birthday to celebrate instead of sadness and memories of what could have been. We know we have been greatly blessed and David is such a wonderful blessing to us all.

Since David's first birthday, we have been able to reduce the number of doctors he has to visit and the number of medicines he had to take. He still takes two blood pressure medications, but that's it. As you can read from my prior posts, we still have some kidney and blood pressure concerns, but to look at David and see his happy disposition and curious personality, you would not think there was ever anything wrong with him. He has caught up so well on his development that we are now thinking that he will not have any lasting troubles from the brain damage he suffered at his birth. Thank God for answered prayers!