Easter Fun!

Growing baby watermelons. Planted them on Earth Day and here's how they look now.

Mariska so wants to go swimming. put on all the old swimming suits and walked around the house asking when it was time to "kick and kick in the water"

Car ride to Idaho. She needed a nap but didn't want one. Had to show off that bottom lip.

Life threw the eyes of Misky

Silly girl playing with the camera again.

Sitting with Grandma & Pa Anderson's Cat. She is the biggest animal lover in the world!

Sleepy after a wedding being silly for her grandparents.

Little miss I believe that is your zipper.

Easter morning. Yeah candy for breakfast wasn't the best way to start that day.

Easter Egg Hunt at the city park. Boy was it cold that day. At least the 2 feet of snow melted.

being the wonderful helper she is, returning the plastic eggs to be used again next year.

Easter egg hunt at Sam's parents house.

The Three youngest girls. They sure did get a ton of candy.

All the girls cousins.

Coloring eggs. She was so proud of her eggs, everyone who came over HAD to be shown her Pretty pretty's.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful families. We have been so blessed with people in our lives who truly love us and would do anything to help. It means the world.

Mariska has her Cath this Friday the 7th. We're planning to fast weds-Thurs. Anyone who would like is welcomed to join. This cath will tell us a lot. Will she be able to have the Fontan, or need a transplant. Its such a sickening thought going to the hospital for either of those. Mariska is in the Lords hands, I have faith no matter the out come she is taken care of. We'll need lots and lots of prayers on Friday. =)

Her new favorite movie is The Incredibles, haha I have no clue why. Silly girl. So full of life always giggling or making silly faces. She knows what she wants and is able to sweet talk her way into getting it. Every night she says her prayers I want to record what her sweet 2 year old words. We help her get started then she takes over with: Thank you for papa and Blix (my brothers huge dog) And the bite ( my parents dog bit her finger a few weeks back) and water and kick and kick. Then a few new things every time. Goofy. I've rambled on enough.

Hugs Melynda

Hope you enjoyed the pictures

March's Echo Brings heart cath.

Having fun at the park. YAY for warmer days.

Weeeee playing with the bigger kids. she loved this thing.

At the Jazz game with Grandma! (DeNece my mom)

Walking around

Washing toys

Whoops didnt see her put him in.

Poor wet Elmo

She was so proud of her Duck feet.

put them on all by her self.

cooking dinner.. Think we'll order pizza today.

This is what we found after she played with the camera.

Mariska on Valentines day. =) The ballon was Elmo her love.

Mariska had another ECHO today. yeah 2 in 2 months. yikes!

This one she got to stay awake for. She didn't want to lay down, but they talked her into by giving her two suckers and a stuffed toy kitty with the help of bubbles. Gotta love the things you do to get a kid to told still.

On the way to the hospital misky got car sick... yeah if you could smell us while we were there I apologize. bleh. She told the echo tech how she got sick in the car and made it stinky, or so we gathered from her half jibber jabber.

After the echo we Met with Dr. W. He said her function hasn't in proved or really even changed. Which makes him very concerned. -not something one likes to hear for anyone- so we're looking at having a Heart Cath in 6-8 weeks. To see if shes improving or not. Her heart function is not the best so after the cath they will talk as see if she still a candidate for the Fontan (3rd heart surgery) or if a Heart transplant would be better...

That's right... Transplant.. please pray this can be put off for many many more years.

Took everything I had in me to keep the worry off my face. Its to early now to say whats to really come but what ever it is will come. Mariska's O2 stats were the highest they have been for a year! a beautiful 81. Shes still very active and has great color. We changed some meds and amounts, And hope to see improvement when the cath comes.

After the visit we had lunch at the Rainbow Cafe. That place sure has a soft place in my heart for lunch.

We have faith what comes we will be able to handle by turning to the Lord. We're very full of hope and love things will come out fine.

Love Melynda

The Living Planet Aquarium & and overdue echo report

Adding some pictures to the blog! YAY

Mariska had her echo, I've forgotten how LONG and slow the time goes when your in the hospital. You know the drill, starve your child the night before you do anything. :) Mariska did well with that part. We headed to PCMC at 5am got there just as the heavens opened and dumped snow. At 7am the tech and a few others had gotten stuck in the traffic so we waited a while. Forgotten the sedation drug(s) that gave Mariska, Very happy this was done via IV she was out so much faster this time around.

Her heart hasn't enlarged any more which is awesome news! Shes still having mild regurgitation with her tricupus valve. Dr. W said this would cause for another Open heart surgery but where she needs her fontan done sometime next year it can wait and be done with that surgery. Counting our blessings with that news.

She went in with a cough.. the same one shes had off and on since Christmas! Cant wait for the spring and all the winter bugs to go away. Despite her mild cough they went a head with it. Finished the Echo and the dr's were not happy with something they saw so we moved her to have a 3D echo done. Moving a sedated person is not a good thing. She has always fight the drugs which made the move not so enjoyable. Got to the next room ended up giving her something else to help her stay asleep, and got the images they we're happy with.

Went up stairs to help her sleep off the drugs, which wasn't to fun with her fighting sleep. She finally fell asleep slept it off, Silly thing was giggling and saying Good-bye to everyone we passed on our way back to cardiology. Talked to Dr. W. ( Dr. P has found a job back east we will miss him) Decided to add her back on to one of her old meds Dig.

So very Grateful things went smoothly thank you for your thoughts and prayers!


We thought it was time to do something fun a last week on Sam's day off so we went to the living planet aquarium . Such an awesome place. The high lights we're watching an octopus eat its lunch and change colors, and touching sting rays.



Mariska in the coral community.

Mariska LOVED this frog.

Mariska and her daddy watching a show.

Asked her if she wanted to touch it and this is the look she gave us, HAHA. NOOo way momma!

I was brave and touched them! So soft and furry.

Mariska's new favorite thing is ELMO which she wants to watch 5 times a day. Shes such a dramatic little thing. Loves to fuss over everything, making sure they have spoons shares her toys, food and smiles. Loves to play baseball on our Wii and is pretty good for being 2. Speaking of 2 she is into everything... my make-up, peanut butter, makers, Loves putting it on her face and saying me Pretty pretty with a huge grin. Hard to get mad with that look.

<3>

CHD Awareness week is February 7th - 14th

Beautiful CHD Awareness Week Poem

Somewhere...someplace... today...

A family is waiting to hear...

Is something wrong with their baby?

The answers aren't quite clear...

This family has entered an unwanted world...

And they just don't know what to expect...

Somewhere...someplace... today

They first heard the words: heart defect.

And how they hoped this was not true...

And thought... this cannot be...

I too... know just how this feels...

For one day...this was me.

Somewhere...someplace...today...

A man and a woman embrace...

Their baby is in surgery...

They long to see her face...

They haven't got to hold her yet...

Without...a cord or line...

They pace the room awaiting news...

And hope she'll be just fine.

Prayers fill this busy waiting room...

And mom and dad are scared...

Somewhere...someplace..today...

The tiniest hearts are repaired.

Somewhere...someplace...today...

A child's growing fast...

Smiling,laughing,thriving...

His mom thinks...can this last?

It's almost easy...to forget...

That anything is wrong...

Somewhere...someplace..today...

Her child seems so strong.

Somewhere...someplace... today...

A little boy fights...

just to live A father holds his tiny hand...

His love...all he can give...

The doctor's are all baffled...

They fear that he might die...

Somewhere...someplace...today...

A family says goodbye... Somewhere...someplace...each year..

More than 40,000 families will see...

What it means...when something's wrong...

They'll face a CHD.

Today...for just a moment...

Stop...remember...reflect...

Make time to tell someone you know...

"I've been changed by a heart defect".

Author - Stephanie Husted

Little tid bits.

Thought I would do a short post while I add a new playlist to the blog and Mariska is down for a nap.

Misky's vobabulary is finally picking up! yay. Shes learning about a new word everyday. Pretty exciting. She Loves to help with the dishes. washing them fulling and empting the dishwasher. Shes such a good lil momma. She has a doll she's starting to pack with her all over the house and its sure to always be by her side at bed and nap time. She still a lil girly girly with her small sweet voice and movements. Dancing is her favorite thing to do. At home and church. Shes Loves prayer time. Folds her arms and cheers when its over. lol Always makes us laugh.

She got her flu shot a few weeks ago. We're on the fence about getting her the H1N1 Vac. She'll start getting the rsv synagis shots again here soon. Poor thing.

We have a date for her next sedated echo. January 19 is the date. praying that goes smoothly. Hits me how fast shes growing. I think at that date we'll talk more on a time frame for her next surgery (fontan) She will have it at 3 1/2 Becuase her cardi doesnt like them to have it later. =) Scary but also a piece of mind knowing about when.

Mariska is excited as are we about halloween this year. Shes going to be Raggedy Ann. She has a cute witch laugh a spooky Heeheeheeee and a silly ghost Boo. Took her to the pumpkin Patch on Sat. She thought it was pretty neat to pick her own. And HAD to hold some of the hay from the hay ride. lol

Sam found a job. (forgotten if I"ve posted about this or not, haha so sry if its a repeat) Hes working for Red Gear full time (H&R Block bought them last year) He works on the text side of the software. He LOves his work place. Full of funny awesome people who all share the same views how lucky is that? We're planning to move this winter to a slightly larger apartment. Mariska Turns 2 in two weeks. Eek time has flown by this year.

Heart Hugs
Melynda, Sam & Mariska (HLHS post glenn)

A few Updated pics