Easter

Another holiday to remind us how truly blessed we are! 

Happy First Easter, Cora!

9 Months!

Three-quarters of a year...is it possible??? 

You roll back to tummy (when you want to), showed us you can roll tummy to back today (but only when you want to), sit pretty well (when you feel like it), eat rice husks, puffs, arrowroot cookies, sweet potato chunks, cooked carrots on your own, love all flavors you've tried except bananas (especially when you feed yourself), talk up a storm, and love playing peek a boo. You are one independent girl!

I love a weekend where, when you think back, you just have an overall content feeling. They all go too fast, don't they?

 Cora has been playing peek a boo a lot and is mimicking Maren's raspberries. She doesn't like to be left behind and will let you know it.

She's still practicing her rolling. Tummy is not where she prefers to be, but she will put up with it for a while. She is a very content girl. There is no "second child syndrome" here where the younger tries to keep up with the older. She's happy to entertain herself or play with you on the floor, in one general area. 

Here's our blonde beauty, hair blowing in the wi...heater vent. She wanted to see her hair blowing. Eyes still blue, blue, blue.

 Cora's eyes are gray, green, hazel....they change and I know they aren't the color they will be for life. 

Practicing sitting. So many skills, so little time. The stinky thing about sleeping for two + months is that the skills wait for you and then you are supposed to learn them faster because you are older! Skills not lacking - social development. You've gotta love that smile and her laughter is contagious. She was laughing at Maren bouncing on a big ball tonight. It seemed like the funniest thing that has ever happened, anywhere!

We hope you had a great weekend, too!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I get to spend it with two of the sweetest Valentine's around!

Cora posed solo this morning after (or during, depending on how you look at it!) breakfast.

Februrary 7-12th - CHD Awareness

This is Cora. She was born 6/3/11 and was diagnosed at 2.5 months of age with a Complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect, or AVSD. Cora was to be repaired at 4.5 months, but became critically ill around the same time. She needed to undergo a cardiac catheterization procedure before repair, but this couldn't happen until her general health improved. Cora's echos seemed to show an unbalanced defect and the surgeon was unclear what repair would be best. Cora was finally repaired on 12/9/11 and is now home with us, catching up on her developmental milestones and learning to eat again.

February is Heart Month. February 7-12th is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Cora is 1 in every 100. She is a Heart Warrior.

Visit: The Faces of CHD   http://pinterest.com/ruth_h/the-faces-of-chd-congenital-heart-awareness-week-f/

Fall

I've been waiting for the wind to die down for two weekends now. No such luck. So I dressed the girls us and braved the wind for a little fall and Halloween photo shoot. In true fashion, I always wish I would have done something differently to get better shots and it was hard to get true smiles out of Maren, but that's our life!

 Cupcake Cora

 Pinkalicious and Cupcake Cora

 Taking a bite.

 Cora braves the sun and wind with open eyes.

 Pinkalicious wanted to pick flowers instead.

 Daddy and Cora

Mommy and the sweeties.

4 Months

You are 4 months old. Boy, did that sneak up on me! You can be very alert and search for new voices and sounds around you. Your sister still captivates your attention. When you dad jiggles your legs, you laugh! Your eyes are gorgeous and I love how you focus on me. Oh, that hair!  I'm so blessed to be your mommy!