Results

The results of this snow day project finally dried, and turned out really cute! The kids loved the "magic" of cutting on the line I drew, opening up the folded paper only to find it was a HEART! (Don't tell them everyone on earth knows that's how you make a paper heart... they think I'm a genius.)

Rylee isn't a big "arts and crafts" girl. Usually it takes me longer to get everything ready to make the project than it does the time Rylee spends on doing the project. But I try not to let that stop me from making things with her. (It helps that Carter is old enough to do projects with us -- I think he extends her time by a few minutes by working along side her!) She is a simple little girl. A few heart stamps here. Some paint strokes there. A little glue and a couple shakes of the glitter and she's content.

When I get a little discouraged that she doesn't want to do more -- "Don't you want some more hearts here? Look at all of this white space, hon. You can use these cool stamps here... or maybe some lace?" -- I remind myself that maybe she's the one teaching me. Less is more. Simple is good.

And the hearts...what or who Rylee loves: Mom, Dad, "Jord" (Jordyn), Carter, Zoe and Tessa.

And no, don't rack your brain, trying to remember if we have a cat named "Tessa", or if somehow 2010 really DID fly by and you hadn't realized we had a baby. No baby here.

Tessa is her friend... her BEST friend, to be more accurate. And the best friend anyone could ever have. She's an amazing little girl who Rylee met last year in Kindergarten, and now loves her just like family. (In fact, Tessa was the first name she wrote on a heart... even before Mom and Dad!)





Carter could have cut hearts out for days... he was the one most impressed by "Mom's magical hearts!" And if you want to win that little boy's heart, just give him glitter! He was a- shakin' and a- shakin' -- though you couldn't tell that from his project because quite often he was so excited to shake the glitter that he forgot the glue first!

And the hearts...what or who Carter loves:
("Mom, you jus wite the woods (just write the words) 'cause I'm tired from shakin' the gitter.")

Toys, Mom, Dad, Rylee, Jordyn, Zoe, friends, house, and "ME!"

*****

More results: An Update on Rylee's Neck/Spine

(You can read the beginning of this "story" here and here.)

Many of you have asked where we're at with this, and we surely appreciate everyone's thoughts! I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner... it's just that I don't really have much more to report!

Shortly before Christmas, the surgeon in Philadelphia called. He'd had a chance to look over Rylee's x-rays, MRI scans, and medical reports done here. He said that Rylee does have instability at extreme flexion and extension because he definitely sees it on the x-rays; however he believes that it didn't show up on the MRI because her neck wasn't flexed/extended as much during the MRI as it was on the x-ray. So basically, we aren't comparing apples to apples when comparing x-rays to MRI scans.

His suggestion was to continue the limitations we have on Rylee's activities (no gymnastics, trampolines, or any activities that of course put pressure on her neck.) He recommended that we have new x-rays and MRI scans done in the next several months.

We have some follow-up questions for the surgeon, and are waiting to connect with him to ask those. Based on his answers, we will then need to decide if we will have the x-rays and MRI scans done here, or if we need to fly to Philly to have him do them.

So, thanks for your continued thoughts! We'll keep you posted as we know more!