Well, Hello Blog.

I keep promising an update, and I keep failing.  This blogging sure is hard to do when you aren't cramped up inside a hospital room... As always, we've been out and about and staying busy!

So here's our little baby Collins rundown:
She. Is. Precious.
As an infant, she couldn't be more opposite than Rowan.  Obviously, Ro was very sick, so I guess there really isn't a comparison to be made.  But Collins eats well, sleeps superbly, never cries, and all around just goes with the flow.... Ahhhh, what a relief!

Poor sick baby Rowan.  She had a hard time eating because she was always throwing up, she NEVER slept more than 3 hours at night, cried all the time, needed to be held constantly to help soothe her, etc.... Not to mention we were constantly taking her for dr's apts, labs, and procedures... ugh- I HATE LIVER DISEASE.

So, here are some the highlights over the past 9 weeks!

We have gone to the Waco Zoo twice... One time I took them both all by myself!

Chance and I took Collins to her first movie.. at 2wks old! It was the Dark Night Rises.... maybe a little sleep deprivation told me this would be a good idea.  She slept nearly the whole time, but I was panicked she would be deaf afterwards! (she's not)

We all went to SanAntonio for a weekend.  We survived the car with no issues and during the hotel stay, we all actually got sleep.... Rowan is our non-sleeper in places other than her room...
The hotel pool was a success- Ro is still a fish.
We also went to the SA Zoo. 

Both girls were baptized!

Collins moved into her bedroom at about 4 weeks old.

Rowan started Mother's Day Out (SCHOOL as we call it).  And she LOVES it.  Her class is small, and I love that... less germs around in my opinion... but my paranoia about that is decreasing.  Her immune system is back to normal, so we just need to take "standard precautions" for her not to get sick.... Goodbye to bubble boy days.  On Wednesdays, she goes to tumbling :)
Lately, says the funniest stuff.  I was picking up something underneath her highchair and she patted my head and said "Good girl, Mommy". She's always telling us to "Come On!" and "Look-ie that".  She can spot a Chick-fil-A from a mile away (its the only fast food we go to) and today she wanted my "Chicken Juice".... Diet Coke in my Chick-fil-A cup.

As always- here's a little picture bomb:

 Here we are getting labs drawn.  Rowan LOVES the self portrait on the iphone....

This is her showing me where they are going to poke her.  She did SO great.... Never even shed one tear.  Just watched that needle go in without any problem. 

 PS- this is her favorite room to have labs drawn. (#2).  They have Cars on the walls. 

 Sweet baby Collins sleeping. 

 More self portraits on the first day of school!

 8 Weeks old!  Collins is such a content baby.  However, she often makes these faces that make her look so grumpy.  I promise she's not-- Ha!

 Here's another grumpy face pic... see what I mean?!

 This was at the Sip and See we had for baby Collins.  She's kinda smiling in this one with Aunt Tara :)

 Sisterly Love :)  Melts my heart.  Rowan loves her sister and Collins smiles all the time at her. 

Lab results came back and Rowan's liver numbers couldn't be better.  We couldn't be more blessed.  Love and kisses to our Angel Donor. 

Save a Life!!! Register to be an organ donor!!!

Pretzel Baby

So I desperately need to catch up on my blogging... But tonight it's not going to happen. These Olympics, oh and a new baby:) have kept my nighttime routine wrapped up.

I promise I will do a baby Collins blog update--- she's already 1month old!

Rowan is a wonderfully loving and helpful big sister and her little baby is seriously in the running for best baby of the year!

However, I really wanted to remember this very cute story so it's my quick post tonight...

I took out the trash. Seriously out of the room for less than two minutes. When I came back Ro nearly met me at the door with this excited look about her. We walked into the living room and she proceeded to show me how she placed a pretzel in baby Collins' mouth. HA.
Sisterly love <3




Day 1. Already helping.




One week check up.




First bath. Check out the assistant in the mirror. :)



Daddy and his girls!




At the Zoo! Our 3wk old was a rockstar! And the 2yr old was pretty stellar as well.




How uncomfortable do they both look?! Haaaa. Ro initiated the hand holding :)

Happy 4th!

Happy Birthday, America!




Well, she tried to get out with a winter hat and patent leather shoes in hand.... But considering it was close to 100 degrees, we settled on this:



Bow and sandals.

This morning Rowan watched the annual 4th of July parade. She really enjoyed all of the people and excitement, but it was HOT.












Afterwards we headed back to the house for a nap and then it was off to lunch!






YUM!

Then, I forgot to take pictures... But she got in the pool a few times.

She's been LOVING going to mother's day out! And even staying for the full day taking a nap!
Tomorrow we are going to drop her off and YaYa will pick her up, then bring her to Austin to meet her new baby sister!!!

School Time!

Big girl is all grown up!

We have been ready for Ro to have some "school time" for quite a while now.
However, due to the decreased immunity issues, she has basically been quarantined from anything like pre-school or daycare.

We finally got the OK from the drs, and we've been anxiously waiting for Mother's Day Out to start their summer session! It's from 9-12, so nothing too crazy, but some great time to play with kids and get her learn on.

Today was the day!
Woooo Hoooo

Rowan was SO excited! She wanted to go in her PJ's before she even ate breakfast.

But I made her get dressed. Notice she already has her backpack on :)



Walking in...





Checking out the other kiddos.



In her room, and not taking her backpack off yet.

When I came to pick her up, Ro's teacher said she did amazing! There were never tears (not that I expected any) and she was really well behaved. Rowan even told a little boy to shhhhh when he cried.

I have a feeling she's going to wake up asking to go again in the morning!

BIRTHDAY

Haaaaaappppppyyyyy 2nd Birthday, Rowan!




Tired and puny, our little birthday angel. Eating breakfast... At Home!




Checking out some new loot.



Look- new PJ's with Jessie and Bullseye! And a new table!

We took it easy on the b-day day. It was absolutely fabulous :)

It's easy to remember that a year ago we were in Houston, in the PICU, with a very sick little girl. She was 6months post- transplant, but battling autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The whole time, her liver performed like a rockstar.
Thank you Angel Donor for the most amazing gift we've ever received.... We are truly blessed!




Check out the bounce house we rented for the party ;)

Remember: she loves Toy Story.

Obviously, there was a ton of bouncing:









But it was hot, so we had to take breaks...



Like reading books in YaYa's lap.



Snacking...






Opening gifts...

And



Blowing out candles on her cake!

Rowan had a BLAST and we were so excited to share such a special day with her friends London and Addison, and so many family members!

Houston, we almost had a problem...

June 5th Rowan threw up 5 times... Not. Good.
I called H-Town, but they weren't too concerned because she didn't have a fever. The throw up ceased, so I figured it was something she ate.

She seemed a little under the weather on Wednesday, but she appeared better until the end of her 2year old photo session.

CLICK HERE to see a preview of some of her pictures :)

She started to run a low grade fever that night... But everything went south on Thursday.

Unfortunately, we ended up having to take Rowan to the ER at Dell Children's that night.

She was a real trooper... Seriously, the best ER experience we had with her thus far--

Her fever was now 103.5.









I was soooo upset assuming she would be admitted, and be in the hospital again on her birthday. Miraculously, her labs looked surprising well when the results came back.

I called H-Town while we were in the ER, after getting the good lab news, and did my best to persuade them we would follow up ASAP if we could just go home.

They bought it :)

The lab results showed her liver #s were great and there was really nothing out of place, so they chalked the fever up to a virus.

Birthday. Intact.

Beach Baby!

We headed to Galveston... After Chance got off work, leaving Austin around 8.

I assumed Rowan would sleep in the car after it got dark. Wrong.

The child is just not a car sleeper, or hotel sleeper, or anywhere besides her bed sleeper.
She stayed up and talked until 11:30pm. We arrived at 1200am.

Then the next morning she woke up at 6:30am.

So we did the logical thing and let daddy sleep just a little longer and went out for a girls breakfast. I think the baby wanted waffles so we went to Waffle House.

An. Experience.



Watching this:



So entertaining.



Then when we got back it was time to put Ro's feet in the ocean for the first time :)



Naturally, she LOVED every second. Even the salt water splashing her face and the disgusting sea weed that washed up on day 2.






And after a very busy morning, she actually took a nap in the condo! WooHoo! Thank goodness, because we had wedding festivities that night.
















Day 2:















Rainforest Cafe:


Under the restaurant boat ride:


Like mother, like daughter.








The Volcano:



We rested up when we got back home because you know who did not sleep again on the car ride back home.

Rowan had the time of her life in the water. She's already had us fill up the pool at the house several times. "simming" :)