Zoo and PF Changs

This morning we went to the zoo. The zoo in December!! It was close to 40 degrees out so we decided to give it a try, plus we still have our zoo pass which we have to renew soon. Cassie fell asleep on the way there. When she woke up we had just pulled into the zoo. She got a big grin on her face and yelled "oooo!!" Interpreted she was saying "Zoooooo!" She couldn't say the "Z" sound. She was very excited to see the monkeys so we headed there first but on the way said hi to the penquins.

The weather wasn't to bad, we were all bundled up so it was pretty nice. A bit later it started to drizzle so that wasn't the best and it started to get miserable. We put Cass in the stroller, along with a blanket over her lap and zipped thru the zoo. We made a stop at the dairy cows to see Cassie the cow. This was a picture I posted a while back.





Bad news...Cassie the cow could be frozen in your freezer right now or on your plate for dinner tonight. They sold her for meat. Yep. Poor Cassie. But....her daughter "Fern" was there to take her place. Out with the old, in with the new. We talked to someone there, she said once the cows have babies that can produce milk they sell the mothers for meat and the babies take their place. :o( Infertilty sucks but I think in this case...if I was a cow...I would want to be infertile.

After the zoo we went to PF Changs for lunch. Matt kept saying it was the first time she had been there but I corrected him. She had been there the day before she was born. We had gone there to eat some spicy food to get labor going....which apparently worked. I thought we were going to have a melt down there. We got Cassie some chicken with dipping sauce. The definition of dipping sauce to Cassie is this......Ranch Dressing. She started yelling for "dip". I told her the sweet n sour sauce was the dip and she kept insisting it wasn't.....oh oh. Thankfully she decided it would suffice and dipped her chicken in the non-ranch dip.

On our way home she fell asleep. I was able to get her out of the car seat, change her out of her underwear into a pullup and she fell back asleep in bed....and is still sleeping 2 1/2 hours later.

Christmas 2010!!!

This was Cassie's 3rd Christmas! This was by far the best Christmas. The first Christmas we had just been home for the hospital for 1 month and she had many medical issues. Last Christmas her G-tube was removed but the hole never healed so she was leaking stomach contents 24/7 and was in pain. This year......all was normal and she was happy!! Thank you God!

Cass woke up at 7:30. I let Daddy sleep while her and I cuddled up on the couch. She drank milk and I had coffee while we watched Mikey Mouse Club House...."oh toodles!!"


Showing off her Nemo!!


Once Daddy was up we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol and had some yummy cinnomen rolls I baked. Then it was time to open gifts. It was about 9:30 once we started. We opened a bunch of gifts then took a break so Cass could play with some. We started opening more about 45 min later. It took us about 1 1/2 hours to open the gifts which I love. I hate having everything over with in 10 min.

She got a new Hello Kitty shirt.....of course she had to put it on ASAP!


Giving me a hug! (Merry Kiss-mas Mommy)


This toy is meant for 9 months and over, I think its meant for children alot younger than 2 however she loves the thing. I mean LOVES it! Her friend has one so we knew she would like it. It defintily keeps her occupied by running to get the balls it blows out of the tube.

Opening presents. After opening she would yell "open another one!!"

New slippers - Dora!!!!

Her Uncle Jim...or as she calls him Uncle Bim.. and his girlfriend got her this awsome tricycle. Its pink and decked out in chrome.

Daddy helping to teach her to pedal


After presents Cass had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and off for a nap she went. My parents and grandparents came over around 2 and we enjoyed a ton of snackes. Cass woke up at 3 and we started the gift giving all over again!

My parents bought her one of those Hallmark recordable books. Cass loves it and laughed every time she heard Papas voice come on.

Opening presents with Papa

Loving her new stuffed animal

Mezmerized by seeing "Tinki Bell" on the bag! The girl loves tinkerbell!!

My Dad, Matt and Grandpa

My Mom, Cass and my Grandma


I made dinner and we ate around 7:00. Ham, cheesey potatoes, corn and rolls. Cassie has started saying her own prayer and it is so darn cute. This is what she says:
"Dear Lord.....some inaudible words....thank you for Mommy and Daddy...Amen" The sweetest thing ever! She got a bath, watched some of her new Tinkerbell DVD and we put her to bed around 8:30. My parents stayed over and we watched Elf. It was a great Christmas.

Christmas Eve and Daddies B-day!

Above is a pic of Turkeys outside our bedroom window. Apparently the deer and turkey love our yard.

Christmas Eve is also Matt's Birthday. His birthday is usually overshadowed by Christmas so it kinda stinks for him. We started the morning by making his favorite breakfast.....whole made waffles. Then we gave him some presents to open.

Opening his gift

Cass giving Daddy a b-day hug


Later in the day after Cassie's nap we went to Matt's parents house to celebrate Christmas. All of the family was over there so it was fun for Cassie because she got to hang out with all the cousins.

Observing the girls


Checking out the big gift for her


"monkey papa" showing her the Christmas Tree


Everyone getting ready for dinner. It was awesome - so much food and so good!!


Playing!!


The 3 Amigos


The Girls


After dinner it was time to open presents! Cass was the first to open since she was the youngest.


One of her gifts was an outfit from Disney World. She is a girly girl and wanted it put on right away.


We got home around 8:30. We lighted some candles, cuddled on the couch and Matt read the Christmas story and off to bed Cassie went. It was about 9:00 - late!!!!

Christmas Eve night after Cass went to bed

1st night of festivities

After Cassie woke up from her nap on Thursday we went to Matt's aunt house for dinner. We got there around 5 for dinner which included cake (above) for Daddies Birthday which is on Christmas Eve.

She had alot of fun hanging out. She loved hanging out with "monkey papa"

He goofs around with her all the time!

Lets her touch the tree!


We ate Lasagna and Garlic Bread. Very yummy!! We stayed till 7:30, put Cassie in her PJ's and headed home. I thought she would fall asleep in the car for the drive since its 45 min but she stayed awake the whole time. I think she was on a surger high because that girl was acting goofy!

Cass and Jake

Hanging out with the cousins

Cousins showing the love to Matt

Daddy, Sarah and Cassie

Playing with Dora stuff

Cassie and Sarah

Playing at the table


Cass got to bed around 8:30 which started the first night of numerous late bedtimes in a row!

My girl and I

Follow up with Craniofacial doctor

This morning we had an appointment at Childrens Hospital to see Cassies Craniofacial doctor. The appointment was at 8:45 so we had to leave around 8. Our alarm malfunctioned....and decided to sleep in. I opened my eyes and it was after 7:30 so we had quite a rushed morning to get out of the door in 30 min....but we made it.

Cassie did amazing with Dr. Jensen. It has been over a year since she saw him. Last time was 2 weeks after her cleft palate surgery. He had to look in her mouth and she had no problem with that. She opened wide and said "Ahhhhh". He also felt her jaw bones. He said she has a small oral cavity, a blunt uvula and short palate but doesn't have any major concerns with anything. He said her profile looks great whereas she didn't have a profile before and her teeth are coming in fine. He said we can follow up with him in a year. They want to keep following up because things can always change with growth...but so far so good!!

I also got her eval from our last speech appointment. Its always amazing to me when I read her medical history. Past medical history includes early feeding difficulties which led to G-tube placement, otitis media, failed newborn hearing screen, micrognathia and respiatory distress as an infant with obstructive sleep apnea as an infant. The list goes on.....Tounge lip adhesion in 2008, released in 2009 along with ear tubes placed. Cleft palate repair in 2009. Cassie because a complete oral feeder, therefore the G-tube was removed, and a gastrocuaneous fistua was closed on Dec 2009. Wow!! She has come a long way!!

Her speech eval summary was her velopharyngeal closure is adequate for speech at this time. Just like her cranio doctor we continue to follow up because things have the potentional to change with growth but her prognosis is good!!

On another note, I found Cassie doing her own hair this morning....



She spotted me and told me "Mommy get down". She then proceeded to comb my hair and told me she was "getting snarlys out". I did not look fit to got out in public after she was done with me.

First Family Vacation!

We took our first family vacation this past few days! We went to the Dells and stayed at The Great Wolf Lodge. It was awsome and I had such a great time. I was really unsure of how the car ride would go (1 1/2 hours) and how Cassie would be sleeping in an unfamilier place and not in her own bed. The car ride was not a problem, she slept for a short period of time and sleeping in a pack'n play at a hotel didn't phase her. She was so tired each night she passed right out. The hotel was beautiful. They have this thing called Snowland going on. The lobby was decked out in Christmas Trees and white lights and three times a day they would make it snow in the lobby....real snow!!
The lobby

Cass in front of the Great Clock Tower in the lobby


Monday
Monday morning we left around 1:00. We had to pull over once because Cassie had to go pee. She napped for maybe 45 min and we arrived at the Dells. Our first stop was at an indoor amusment park called Knuckelheads. They had a huge 4 story climbing thing for kids...basically a hamster maze meant for kids. It was pretty awsome and we all played in it. We got to our hotel around 3:30, changed into our suits and hit the water park.

Our room



Having a snack and watching cartoons while we un-pack


We swam in the wave pool, went down some kiddie slides and floated down the lazy river. We stayed in the water for about 1 1/2 hours, Cass was pretty cold and shivering so we decided to head up to our room. We got showered and had dinner at a place inside the hotel.


We were not thrilled with the food but Cassie got a cute pair of Wolf Ears to wear.


At 8:00 we got Cass in her pjs and headed to the lobby for story time and to sing some Christmas songs. After the book was read Rowdy the Reindeer came out to visit all the kids. Cassie lovvvvved him. He is all she could talk about on Tuesday. She kept waving to him and blowing him kisses. By the time we got up to our room it was 8:30, I laid Cassie down and she was out like a light.
Hugging the Wolf

Daddy and Cassie

Mommy and Cassie

Hugging Penquin - he got multiple hugs a day!

Waiting for storytime!!

All the kids were in pjs in the lobby - cute!!





Tuesday


Cass slept till 7:20, we got up and watched some cartoons and then headed down to breakfast at Camp Critter. Again...not impressed with the food. At 9:00 we went to the lobby for the Polar Wolf Walk. This is where all the kids walk around and learn about the North Pole and cold weather animals.

At Wolf Walk - do you see Cassie?


After this we went swimming again.

At the wave pool

Mommy and Cass at the wave pool


Sitting out the waves with Daddy


Around noon we got some lunch and ate in the waterpark. Cass got a smuckers P&J...it was actually very good

but her favorite thing was the french fries dipped in ketchup and a nice big mess for Mommy. At the wave pool they do 5 min with no waves and then the sound of wolves howling will start which signals the waves are coming. Cassie loved this and would howl along with it.

At the toddler pool




After lunch we showered and walked around the hotel for awhile, I then put Cass down for a nap at 1:30. Matt had surprised me with a appointment for a massage and pedi. It was SO nice. I LOVE massages!!! Beyond relaxing. The pedi was pretty nice also. Thank you Matt!!!! I was in the spa for about 2 hours. I got back to our room at 4 and little Cass was still sleeping!! We had to wake her up. Once up we visited the aracade room.



and then went to Cub Club which is a craft room for kids. She colored for a while and then we went to Knuckleheads again. After crawling around, and going down slides there we went to MooseJaws for dinner. Their pizza was super good...yum! We had to get back to the hotel because we HAD to go to storytime again. Like I said, all Cass could talk about all day was the reindeer. She would tell us how she was going to say "Hi Reindeer" when she would see him and blow him kisses. The look on her face when he came out was priceless. True to her word she jumped to her feet and waved both hands yelling "Hi Reindeer!!".

Rowdy the Reindeer


After storytime we waited in line to meet him. Our turn came,she chickened out and ran the other way. We got her into bed at 8:45 and I followed soon after!!

Wednesday
Cass woke up at 6:30 this morning. Her and I laid in bed and watched 1 hour of cartoons. We ate some breakfast in the lobby and hit the water park one last time. We swam for about an hour. Cassie went down her first true water slide. We put her in a life jacket, Matt walked her up and I stayed at the bottom to catch her so she wouldn't go flying into the water. She flew down that thing like a rocket. I don't know what she thought about it but she told us she didn't want to go again. I was still impressed that she didn't cry on it and went down!! We hit up her favorite before we left...The Lazy River. She sat on my lap in the tube and we just floated. Nice. We checked out of the hotel at 11 and went to the outdoor mall. We bought her some new jeans from Carters and another Christmas present. They had a Disney store outlet!! We bought her a stuffed Nemo! Then we went to Monks for lunch where Cassie ate her favorite chicken nuggets and fries then headed home. We got back shortly
after 3:00.

It was so much fun, I loved our little trip and we hope to do this every year!