Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011

2011

365 days of my life.

Somehow it only only having been 365 days feels inadequate.

Feels like a lifetime ago since I posted this.

Two life times ago.

Maybe most people would look back at this last year and all that we have experienced and be glad that this it's over.

Almost 4 months out of the 12 spent in the hospital. Too many days when I really thought we might lose Mason. Almost 4 months of of the 12 when we were separated from Pierce. The CHARGE diagnosis. Three major surgeries, two minor. 100's of Dr's appointments. Sick more days than well.

Not me.

I'm actually a bit sad that there is only a few more hours left.

I'm not ready to let it go just yet.

I'm tearing up as I type this.

What a blessed year this has been.

One of the best years of my (almost) 42 years equal only to 2008 and the birth of Pierce

We are whole. We are happy. Our version of healthy.

My life is full and so is my heart.

Thank you life, fate, karma, chance, God, whomever, whatever for this amazing year and all the gifts we have been given.

I'm only too well aware of how differently it could have gone.

I could be sitting here typing about all that we have lost rather than all that we have gained.

I will NEVER, NEVER forget that.

I hope that you to feel blessed for all that 2011 was for you and I hope that you are as excited about 2012 all that can be as I am.


I plan on spending every last second of this year fixing in my heart and mind all that this year was and then I'm gonna kiss my husband and welcome the start of 2012.


Just think of all that might be...


I'm so excited!!!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Now that it seems most people have gotten their cards I will post ours here. I didn't even get started till the last minuet (story of our lives this year) but it came together even better than I had hoped.







Cards are one of my favorite parts of the holiday. Not only do I like sending them I love getting them and this year I'm so pleased to add our CHARGE family to our card list. I think next year I will have to find a bigger place to display them though. My fireplace is running out of room.




I've read a few comments on Facebook this year about how some people don't like to send out cards because...it's not good for the environment...you could do the same thing with an email..not worth the time..and a few other bah humbug excuses.

Well I recycle and otherwise do my part for the environment all year long so I will enjoy this indulgence, will never feel the same pleasure opening an email as I do finding a box full of cards to open, and will always always find getting pictures of friends and loved ones well worth the time.

I just love my cards and they are one of the last decorations I take do. I loved everyone I have gotten (and look forward to the late ones too) and thank you all for including my family in you holiday cheer.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and or whatever holiday you celebrate from the Lozano family to yours.

Now I hope to update the blog in the next day or so but...well it is me we are talking about so just in case.

Happy New Year too!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Save the date!!!







I'm gonna cry.

No seriously I am.

We had originally planned Mason's birthday party for January 7th but we've all been too sick this month so we moved it to February.

No big deal I figured I'll just change the date on the save the dates.

But I changed it to the wrong date.

I'm gonna cry.

Once upon a time I was this super organized person. I had the parties, and all the details planned, months in advance. Now I can't even get the date right.

((sigh))

OK, now that I'm done whining the correct date for Mason's party is


Saturday February 25th



It's been an amazing year. Just about a little bit of everything has happened.





We would love it if you could be there to celebrate the day with us.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

On this day....

On this day four years ago I began my life as Mrs. George Lozano (and although I didn't know it till a few weeks later my life as a mother).


We promised each other forever. For better or worse. In sickness and in health, richer or poorer, till death do us part.

It's amazing how much we have already lived those vows.

I heard on the radio back in September that serious illness and financial problems are the top 2 reasons people end up getting a divorce.

I think it's a testament then how strong our love, how deep our commitment, that we have faced both in the last year over and over and we've come out of it stronger and more committed to our family and each other than ever.

Next month we hope to take a day off together to celebrate just as Amy and George but honestly we both feel like we are celebrating even though I will be at work and George home with the boys who are both fighting colds (and Mason is still trying to kick this ear infection).


We are celebrating tonight mostly healthy and happy at home as a family of four and getting back on our financial feet.

We are together and that is all that really matters.




Happy anniversary my love. It's mind boggling how much we have packed into just four short years. I'm excited to see what we will do with the next four.


As long as I'm with you I'm in.




.....................................................................................................................................
So the rest of this post has been uploaded and on the blog for two weeks now just waiting for me to get around to posting it. Life just keeps getting in the way. It's way past Halloween now but the pictures are just too cute for me to not post.

I can't believe it's on already days past your 10 month-versay and I'm finally getting around to posting you 9 month picture. Oh well, at least I have the picture right?

What an thrilling month October was too. Physically and mentally your making great leaps forward and as hard as this last heart surgery was your so much stronger now and it makes all those hard days so worth it.

We've been fighting an ear infection since September and will now be going to a second ENT Dr to see if he can help us get you healed. Fingers crossed we get this infection gone by December 28th when we have your next hearing test scheduled.


We are putting our head down and getting through November so we can have an awesome December and 2012 together.

Can you believe it's less than two months to your first birthday? Seems almost impossible.


Well I hope to get your 10 month pictures done in a few days and will update more then.





Pierce didn't feel like cooperating for this picture. As it was I had to combine two different pictures to get one where they are both even looking up. Thank goodness for Photoshop. It gives me the family nature didn't. :)






Cutest pumpkin ever!






and here's Pierce at two months in a pumpkin for comparison and to prove that I torture both my children equally.





and the pumpkin patch...




I added the 2011 to the picture. Pretty cool huh?









Pierce's version of pumpkin chucking
















I love it when you look all surly.































This is a combination of three different pictures. That's what it takes to get all my boys in one shot.


The Lozano Family pumpkins 2011.

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Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!



Despite our hectic schedule. Mason being a little sick and shear exhaustion we managed to have our traditional Halloween. It just wouldn't be us not to go all out. Happy to say we had tons of trick-or-treaters and more and more houses on our street decorated for the night.

Pierce completely loved trick or treating. It wasn't even about the candy really. I just think he loves any occasion to be social.


Mason only made it to a few houses but was the cutest Jelly anyone has ever seen.

Again we couldn't have pulled it off without the help of my family. My mom, my brother in law Pat, my sister,and my niece Lauren (who made the most adorable Mini Mouse but I'm not allowed to post her pic) made the night possible.





















Happy Halloween from our family to yours!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Spooky update


Life continues at our regular relentless pace.

We went back to see Dr. Bailey this last Monday. Everyone feels that you look great and are healing well.

After you got your sutures removed last Monday your incision was open a little bit so we kept Steri-strips on it and now this week it looks like it is completely closed.

You are steadily gaining weight and weigh a whopping 14lbs 90z. I little more than a full pound of weight gain in less than a month!

They measured you at 24 1/2 inches but honestly your height varies so much depending on who is measuring you that I don't know how long you really are. You are growing though and that's what's important.

It seems amazing to say but as terrible as your scar looked after the surgery it doesn't look all that bad now and I figure it will continue to heal and fade till it's not really much of an issue anymore.

We found out that no matter what your IV antibiotics will end October 26th! Thank goodness just 7 days left and then you can get the PICC line out and once again have a full bath. I can't wait to see if you love it as much as you did before the surgery.


You are beautiful and amazing. Happy 97% of the time your almost back physically to what you were doing before the first surgery in August. Your back to rolling and scooting around again. If I put you on your play mat within a few minuets you will have worked yourself off of it till your feeding tube is stretched out as far as it can go. I can't express how much I love your personality.




Our new ENT (whom we ADORE) has ordered a new hearing test for you to see how putting in the ear tubes and draining out all that fluid will affect your hearing.

Dad and I are prepared for there to be no improvement but are holding on to hope that your hearing loss might not be as sever as the first test indicated. As soon as we get the results we are all about getting your hearing aids.

Your dad and I are hanging in there. It will be years and years before you read this so I will admit to you that this IV medication regimen is exhausting. I'm getting about 3 1/2 hours of sleep on average and it's really wearing on me.

There have been a couple of days where I just didn't think I could do it one more second. But then the moment passed and we just go on. If it weren't for my family, your Granny and Aunt JJ, I don't honestly think we could continue to do it.

And to top off our busy schedule I've finally started back to work. I haven't worked in over a year and a half so I felt a bit rusty but after being a nurse for almost 10 years it's something you don't really forget.


From now till the end of the year I will be working full-time or as close to it as I can manage. Luckily for me full time is 3 12 hour shifts and I work nights so it's doable. The hardest part will be the lack of sleep an adding more to our already hectic schedule but it's necessary.


Without the financial help from our family members we wouldn't have been able to stay with you while you were in the hospital and we want to pay them back as soon as we can.


This will make it even harder to update the blog. I will do my best to post at least somewhat regularly but don't worry if you don't hear from us for a while.



So it's Halloween time. Have I mentioned how much I love Halloween?





Oh but I do!





It's my favorite holiday equal only to Christmas. But in some ways I think Halloween is even better because it's a holiday where everything we do is for others.





The decorations, the candy. It all makes me giggle with glee. Every year we decorate the lawn with a haunted graveyard. It's a hit every year and one of my most favorite things to do all year long.





Your dad grumbles a bit about the work it takes but he loves it too. He just doesn't giggle with glee. :)

One of the other things I love to do at Halloween it to get holiday PJ's and outfits. I wasn't sure we would be able to afford to do it this year but your Aunt JJ found a Ebay gift card your dad gave me for mother's day three years ago that I had left at Aunt JJ's and forgot about.


I was able to get all the outfits I wanted except skeleton PJs for Pierce, which your Granny ended up buying for us, and didn't "spend" a penny.


So now I can now dress you and take pictures of you two to my spooky heart's content.

I also found a ton of stuff I got 75% off last year from Target Halloween sale so even I have something to wear.

Me --- giggling with glee again.




I wonder if you two will love me or want to kill me for these pictures. I bet your wives will love them.




It really looks like Pierce really enjoys holding you in the pictures doesn't it? Too bad he will let go of you seconds after I take the picture.



Thanks for my PJ's Granny!



Look at how good your sitting up! Your getting so much better at it.


















He looks so sweet doesn't he? Don't be fooled. It's almost impossible to get him to pose for a picture anymore. We usually have to bribe him with something. Time on the computer playing games works well for now.





The outfit you are wearing here is the same one Pierce wore on his first Halloween. I'm so happy I kept it.

Pierce was 2 months old (and freakishly tall) and your 9 months old and it fits you both perfectly.







These Halloween booties were given to us by your Aunt Lisa. I just know that she would have loved seeing her "Sam" wearing them.


We have been going a little crafty around here. It thing is we don't have any money to spend on things like crafts so we have had to either finish projects we have already started or use what we have left over from old projects.




I saw this sign on Pinterest from the website I love naptime and fell in love with it. Your Dad was able to make me one out of scraps left over from a tree we had cut down. I then used old paint and a little chalk board spray paint I bought last year and never used to make the count down board.



See here it is on the porch. I just love it!



We also painted a wall in the kitchen with metallic paint and then covered it with chalkboard paint. It only took a a few minuets to do each coat. The longest part was waiting for the layers to dry.



Pierce loves it and I'm sure you will to. We have plans to do more to it but are already using it daily.


Dang fine "A's" for a 3 year old aren't they?


We are also working on potty training Pierce. We have been putting it off since we were so busy but are now going for it. Pierce gets it and stays dry most of the time but hasn't deiced to cooperate 100% of the time yet.


So that's it for now. We have been hoping the weather would cool down before we go to the pumpkin patch but now we only have 11 days left so we are going Monday now matter what.

Pictures to come!