School Time and Wacky Labs

We have been super busy getting into the school groove and leaving summer behind. Of course, we can't have a typical week leading up to the first day!

Cameron, did have a normal start and is in the swing of things. He really likes his new teacher and classmates. He knew all of them and a few are his really good friends. He is excited about the math that she has planned for them!

Last week, Reagan had her yearly transplant visit. While everything looked great, her labs that measure the rejection meds that she takes were very low. I was nervous because the labs had not been checked in a month so there is no way to tell how long it was that low. When the levels are low, the body will start to notice the foreign heart and start attacking it. We bumped up her meds and rechecked on Friday, and they went even lower! Needless to say, I was a nervous nelly this weekend! The last time she was that low was right after transplant when she started to reject. Moms remember numbers, especially important ones even if it was four years ago! So we gave her a larger dose, and Monday the labs seemed to be much better. We will recheck again this Thursday to see if they stay in the range that we like.

Really, HLHS (syndrome with her old heart) has it's own problems, but transplant is an entirely different set of problems. It is nice for me that we have to keep a closer check than we did with the old heart. I got a little too comfortable after that second surgery when she was a baby. Transplant- no- never comfortable but totally okay where we are.

School was the last thing on our minds Monday, but it was time to register for kindergarten. Reagan went with me to get registered and we were able to see her new teacher. She seems like a sweet woman that will love my baby! Reagan was very comfortable there and I am sure she will love it. She started to play with a group of girls while I filled out paperwork. I looked up a few minutes later, and she had them following her leading a game of follow the leader. Then she started crawling and they copied! It was a funny sight. Yes, I think she will be just fine next week.

She started speech again today. We have not been since November. I guess after years of therapy, both mom and child were tired. She had an evaluation and did really well. In fact, we may focus on speech a little less and more on eating issues. It is time for her to get some tough love and hopefully they can help nudge her. She is scared to swallow most foods. She is tasting new foodsso much more now, and even knows when she is hungry.

I guess all in all it has been a good but busy week. I guess when soccer and dance start, it will be even busier! I am not complaining. I love that they are healthy enough to do the things that they do. Me, hum, I guess I can rest sometime!

Hope everyone enjoys the week!

Ahh...the last days of summer break

It's a little sad to know this weekend is the last one before school begins.

Cameron registered for school on Friday and was excited about his teacher. He is in the second grade AGP class! I am very proud of that smart little boy!

Reagan will register next week. She will not go to Ballentine Elementary like her brother. There are was too many children for her immune system to handle. She will go to Union United Methodist this year in their 5 year old kindergarten class. It seems like it will be a sweet class of only 12 children. Can you believe it-kindergarten? Wow, who would have thought? It seems only yesterday.....

This morning, we woke up to a nice summer rain. I think that it rained hard for at least 30 minutes. For those of us in Ballentine, that is a really long time because it never rains here! I asked the children if they wanted to go out and play in the rain and they just stared at me! Really mom, in our pj's? Why not? So we all ran out at 8 o'clock in the morning and played tag, soccer, and just laughed. It was so much fun! Gotta love a summertime rain!

This week we will go back to Charleston for Reagan's yearly transplant cardiology visit and a follow up. I will update when we return.


Hope everyone enjoys the last few days of your summer break. Go out and do something fun!

Big Strides.....in the Pool!

Those of you that know Reagan well know that she is Perfectly happy playing on the stairs at the pool. She brings her barbie dolls and teacups and loves it. When I would try and take her in the water, she would have a tight grip with her legs and arms wrapped tightly around my body. She stopped crying when we would get in the water, but the death grip was there.

Last week, Cameron spent a few days at Nanna's and Grandadddy's. He loved it! He loves them and loves having his freedom there- candy too! Nanna taught him how to text so I received lots of fun text messages. I missed my little fella!

Anyway, back to the story. We went to Spartanburg on Friday to pick him up. It was Reagan's first day to swim since her last surgery, because she had to wait 10 days. She was SO ready to swim at Nanna's. Her cousin Katie was there too. Katie became a little fish this summer, and does not use her floats anymore. I decided to try Reagan in it- I could tell she was feeling a little brave that day. She not only got in the float, but also held only one of my fingers the whole time. She loved it! I was so proud because she was so proud.

She wanted to show off her skills to Rick yesterday so we took her to our community pool. Dad taught her that she was tall enough now to stand in the shallow end and she was so excited. She was showing all the kids at the pool her "cool trick." Of course, they just looked confused, but it was so big to her.

We are so lucky that God let her stay with us. We are so blessed to watch her grow up- Cameron too! I think every parent will agree it is so bittersweet!

If we go to the pool today, I will take the camera so you all can see her Cool Trick!